Pain of Love
by DiamondsAren'tForever
Summary: Pepper Potts has been helping the FBI for 2 years, now her new assignment is to protect Tony Stark from being killed from the Ghost. Will she resist the power of love? How about the Pain that come with it? Pepperony totally!
1. Chapter 1

Hallo! Well heres the fanfic that I've been wanting to write. But first there's a few warnings: 1) there was never a plane crash (but Tony still has his implant, I'll explain later). 2) Pepper and Tony have never meet, either Rhodey and Pepper. 3) Gene is a normal guy (He'll have a small part). 4) Pepper doesn't go to Tomorrow Academy. 5) Tony's dad is alive, but not captured. 6)Stane gets fired! YAY!! Enjoy!

* * *

"Freeze! FBI!" It's been the 23rd murder case Pepper Potts has solved with the help of her father and his men. She was 14 when she first started, that was two years ago. She's 16, and has a badge on reserve when she is old enough. No one outside the FBI knows that she has been helping them for two years. Heck, she had to sneak in one of the meeting to tell them her profile, which happened to be correct. Ever since she was able to help solve crimes, but had no type of authority over anyone because technically she doesn't have a badge. But she could carry a gun, sweet. Now she was walking towards the directors office. When she got close enough, she heard arguing.

"NO! IT'S TO DANGEROUS!" A voice yelled. (Pepper could tell it was her father.)

"Well I think she had enough experience in the cases" Another voice said. (Which was the director)

"No, no, no, and NO!" Mr. Potts yelled.

"Potts, your daughter is perfect for the job, because having one of your men with a gun and badge around him would be hard for the poor kid to fit in his school" The director said.

"He doesn't even go to school!" Mr. Potts exclaimed.

"He starts tomorrow" The director said calmly.

"Where?" Potts asked.

"The Tomorrow Academy." The director said.

"She doesn't even-Pepper!" Mr. Potts said, interrupted by his presence of his daughter.

"Um, what are you guys talking about?" Pepper asked.

"Potts can you please leave? I need to talk to Pepper in private." The director asked him.

"Fine..." Mr. Potts said as he left the office.

"Ah, Pepper you've done a great job in the fields of the BAU, and now I think I need to assign you something different" The director said.

"Like what? You know, I'm actually fine with working in the BAU." Pepper told him.

"Well Pepper this job is perfect for you, because in your years if training in the martial arts and target practice, I think your fine in protecting an Innocent citizen right?" The director asked her.

"Yeah, I'm fine in that" Pepper said.

"Good. I need you to protect Tony Stark" The director said.

"What? Why?" Pepper asked.

"Because your excellent for the job, and you seem like no threat to the eyes of the assassin" The director said.

"Assassin? What assassin?" Pepper asked.

"The Ghost" The director said. Pepper clenched her teeth, and balled up her hand into a fist. She had been trying to catch that bastard since she first heard of him, when she was 14. Her dad said it was to dangerous for her to deal with so he got shot instead, but that was two years ago. She needed to catch him, before he took another life. It was her justice, and she followed it.

"I'll do it" Pepper told the director.

"Good choice, meet me in the gadgets room" He said.

* * *

The gadget room was where scientists, inventors, engineers, and other people come together and make high-tech things. Pepper had no idea what they did there, because she was more of a field agent. Solved murders, attacks, threats to homeland security etc., etc. It was her first time going in there. There was different tech. stuff all over the room, the tech. that's in-the-works, forgotten tech., and completed projects. She followed the director towards two scientists, when they approached the two started laughing nervously.

"Hello Mr. Lubach" The director said.

"Hello Director" Mr. Lubach said.

"What do you have for Ms. Potts over here?" The director said.

"Well, we have sunglasses and glasses" Mr. Lubach said.

"How is that gonna help?" Pepper asked.

"Well, these aren't ordinary, of course these glasses let you see anything invisible, we studied the piece of his suit when..." Mr. Lubach said, but trailed off at the end.

"When my father got shot." Pepper stated.

"Um, exactly, uh... well also we have different types of GPS trackers, one in a version of a bracelet, a necklace, and a cellphone" Mr. Lubach explained.

"Pepper take the glasses and the cellphone" The director ordered.

"Okay" Pepper said. Mr. Lubach gave the glasses and cellphone to Pepper, then gave her the bracelet and the necklace.

"You meet Stark at noon, no later" The director told her.

* * *

"Pepper, I want you to wait outside of Mr. Starks office until I give the go okay?" Mr. Potts told her.

"Okay" Pepper said.

Soon they were entering Stark Tower. Trisha, the lady at the front desk, called Mr. Stark telling him the FBI agents were there. They entered the elevator and went straight up to his office.

"Ah, Hello I'm Howard Stark" Tony's Dad said.

"Agent Potts" Pepper's Dad said.

"Nice to meet you" Mr. Stark said.

"Likewise" Mr. Potts said.

"Well, are you going to protect my son?" Howard asked.

"No, my daughter will" Mr. Potts said.

"Isn't your daughter 16?" Mr. Stark asked, he had a little chuckle in his voice.

"Yes, sir but she solved 23 murder cases, stopped 15 attacks, and caught the leader of five gangs, so I think she deserves a little more respect." Mr. Potts said.

"Where is this wonderful girl?" Howard asked.

"I'm right here" Pepper said as she squeezed through the big security guards that were at his door.

"Well, hello I'm" "I know Howard Stark" Mr. Stark tried to say but interrupted by Pepper.

"I'm Patricia Potts but call me Pepper" She said.

"Okay, Pepper" Howard said.

"Where's your son, we need him to be in sight or the Ghost might get him" Potts said.

"Ghost? Who's that?" Mr. Stark asked.

"An assassin who was hired to kill your son, this man who hired the Ghost is most likely trying to get to you putting a threat to you by putting your son in danger, so do you have any type of enemies that would do that?" Pepper explained to him.

"Not that I know of" Howard answered.

"Okay, how about your son?" Pepper asked.

"Well Tony only hangs out with a boy named James Rhodes, they've been friends as long as I can remember" Howard said.

"Alright, can you call this James Rhodes and your son?" Mr. Potts asked.

"Why?" Mr. Stark asked.

"So we can ask them a few questions" Pepper said looking down at her cell.

* * *

"Dad? What's wrong? Why did you need me and Rhodey?" Tony asked his father.

"The correct way of saying that is Rhodey and I, sheesh for a genius you have no sense of grammar" Pepper said behind him.

"Sorry kinda focused on something else I don't have time for grammar" Tony said.

"And respect" Pepper snapped back.

"Who is this?" Tony asked.

"Oh this Agent Potts, and...Agent Potts?" Howard said a little confused.

"Exactly, um where's your friend?" Pepper asked.

"He's coming up, your a FBI agent?" Tony asked her.

"Yeah, I've been helping the FBI since I was 14, the director just gave me my badge this morning" Pepper said.

"And I wasn't in on that" Mr. Potts said harshly.

"Gosh, Dad you don't trust me with a badge, but you do trust me with a gun?" Pepper told him.

"Yeah pretty much" Potts said.

"Seriously Dad, you called the FBI." Tony told him.

"Tony, stop whining this girl will protect you" Mr. Stark said.

"How? she just got her badge this morning!!" Tony exclaimed.

"Listen, I have been through years of martial art training, and target practice, I've profiled some of the sickest murders out there and got them before they took another life, now this assassin has a success rate of 98%, the other 2% had died from shock, so technically he kills most of his hits, so listen to your father and stop whining" Pepper said annoyingly, she hated when people just took her as a stupid kid.

"Sorry I'm late" A voice said from the door.

"Rhodey!" Tony said.

"Hey Tony" Rhodey said.

"Come on in Rhodey, we just have a couple of questions" Mr. Potts said.

"Who are you?" Rhodey asked.

"Agent Potts from the FBI, this is my daughter Pepper, she's also an agent, she'll be protecting Tony and you from the Ghost" Mr. Potts said.

"I thought this assassin was after Tony" Rhodey said

"He is but this assassin might kill the people most closest to the hit, because he likes seeing people angry" Pepper explained.

"Oh..." Rhodey whispered. Pepper and her Dad just started laughing.

"What?" Tony asked.

"He soooo believed us!!!" Pepper exclaimed.

"This assassin only kills his hits" Mr. Potts said.

"Sorry if we scared you Rhodes" Pepper said.

"That wasn't funny" Rhodey said.

"Fine, fine I had my fun" Pepper said as she took out a pad and a pen. "Rhodes, have any new people come up to you and started a conversation?"

"Um, no, not really" Rhodey answered.

"So who is this 'not really'?" Pepper asked.

"What?" Rhodey asked.

"Who is this 'not really'?" Pepper asked again.

"Well, this girl started talking to me suddenly" Rhodey said.

"Okay, whats her name?" Pepper asked.

"Uh...Whitney...Whitney Stane" Rhodey said as he started blushing. Pepper let out a small laugh.

"What now?" Tony asked with some type of attitude in his voice.

"Nothing..." Pepper said.

"Pepper..." Mr. Potts whispered.

"What?!" Pepper asked."I'm just debriefing this guy, gosh. Anyway, did she say anything about Mr. Attitude over here?"

"No, she just asked me if I wanted to get a bite" Rhodey said with the blush still clinging on his face. Pepper started laughing again. Mr. Potts just sighed and then asked Mr. Stark if he minded leaving the kids alone. Then they both left the office leaving Pepper, Rhodey and Tony alone.

"Okay, moving on, Tony has anyone started paying more attention to you?" Pepper asked.

"Yeah, the assassin" Tony responded.

"Anyone else?" Pepper asked.

"Yeah, Stane, Whitney's dad" Tony said with a smirk on his face clearly bringing up the last subject up again.

"Obadiah Stane? He works here?" Pepper asked.

"Yeah, he's been working here since the beginning" Tony said.

"Shit. Excuse me" Pepper said. Pepper took her phone and called the BAU.

"Garcia? Yeah its me Pepper" She said. Then silence. "Can you do me a favor?" Pepper asked. Silence. "Great, look up Obadiah Stane for me" Pepper said. Silence. "He was the one who..." Pepper trailed off. Silence. "Selling off private information of the company?" Pepper asked. Silence. "Awesome, Thanks Garcia, tell Hotch and Rossi to come over to question Stane, Say Hi to the others for me" Silence. "Thanks Garcia!" Pepper said. End of conversation.

"What's going on?" Tony asked.

"Nothing" Pepper said.

"So, anything new happening?" Pepper asked as she put her pad and pen away.

"No, not really oh I just found out that someone trying to kill me!" Tony exclaimed.

"Listen Tony my Dad and his men, my team, and I will try everything to protect you, so no need to worry" Pepper said reassuringly.

"Yeah, I thought this guy was invisible" Tony said.

"He is, but the guys from the K.E.M. made some lenses for me, they can see him, well at least his armor." Pepper said.

"Really? Can I see them?" Tony asked.

"Here we go..." Rhodey whispered.

"What?" Tony asked.

"Once you get your hands on someone Else'stech you start saying whats wrong" Rhodey said.

"Oh, whatever" Tony said.

"It's okay, its not mine anyway" Pepper said as she passed over her 'glasses'.

"Wow. Its awesome..." Tony said. He looked all over room with the glasses on.

"So what school do you guys go to?" Pepper asked while Tony was still playing around with the glasses.

"Tomorrow Academy" Rhodey replied.

"Oh, really? How is it over there?" Pepper asked.

"It's okay I guess i don't really like going to school" Rhodey said.

"What kid does" Pepper stated.

"How is it? Going to school?" Tony asked.

"You've never been to school?" Pepper asked.

"Not really, the only time I ever got close to a school is when I went to go get Rhodey to show him my new invention" Tony said looking down to his shoes with the 'glasses' still on.

"Ooohh you actually make inventions?" Pepper asked.

"Yeah..." Tony said.

"Okay, what your current invention?" Pepper asked excitedly.

"Um...it's kinda a secret" Tony said.

"Aaawww..." Pepper whined.

"Sorry" Tony said.

"Hey, do you guys think this guy, Iron Man is like a robot?" Pepper asked.

"No." Tony responded.

"Why do you ask that?" Rhodey asked.

"Cuz' I totally love that guy!!! Red is like my favorite color!! And, he saved me a couple weeks ago when I was running away from Fix's men, and when I got captured by the Maggia" Pepper said.

"Did you hear that Tony? She got saved from Iron Man" Rhodey said.

"Cool." Tony said. _'So that where I've seen her...'_ Tony thought.

"What school do you go to?" Rhodey asked.

"I go to Ski Academy down the road from yours" Pepper said.

"Oh, how is over there?" Tony asked.

"Well actually its kinda fun because the principal, Kloud is like a total kid its funny" Pepper said.

"Here you might want that back" Tony said as he passed back her 'glasses'. Right when she put them on, she the Ghost standing on the rooftop of the building across the road. He had his gun pointed towards the billionaire.

"TONY!!"

* * *

And it ends... *Evil grin* CLIFFHANGER!! it sucks when it happens to you but when it your the one writing it, it just brightens your day!!! Hope you guys liked it. And I had another reference to Criminal Minds. Plus for you fans of Criminal minds the team might make an apperance!! Reid totally!! he's like the awesomest of the awesomest!! He he fangirl mode there sorry... Well review please!!! If you don't the Ghost will come get you!! Lol...


	2. Chapter 2

Hey! Sorry it took me so long to update...first I had school, then I had a dentist appt. next I had to go Christmas shopping, all a pain. Enjoy!!

* * *

_"TONY!!" _

Pepper tackled Tony right before the Ghost pulled the trigger, and the window shattered into million pieces.

"Are you okay?" Pepper asked Tony.

"Yeah, uh...Can you get off of me?" Tony asked her.

"Um, Awkward huh? um...Yeah" Pepper mumbled.

"WHAT HAPPENED?!?" Mr. Potts yelled as he entered the room.

"Nothing" Pepper said.

"It doesn't look like nothing!!" Mr. Potts yelled looking at the broken window. "PEPPER!! You're hurt!!"

Pepper hadn't paid any attention about her getting hurt, she just had to do her job. Right when her father said that, she felt a great amount of pain in her left arm. When she looked down, there was blood dripping down her arm. Her blood got on Tony's shirt, arm, and a little bit on his face. The Ghost had shot her.

* * *

"I want her off this case now!!!!" Mr. Potts exclaimed.

"Ask her if she wants to be off the case" The director said.

"I will!" Mr. Potts said.

Pepper was currently in the hospital. She just came out of surgery, and the Doctor said she'll be fine in a couple of days. Tony and Rhodey were there sitting in the chairs just sitting there, not saying a word. Howard Stark was there helping both Pepper and Tony. Tony looked pale and ghostly, he was afraid, he hated it when he was in hospitals it reminded him to much of his mom.

"Are you guys just gonna stare at me?" Pepper asked.

"Are you okay?" Rhodey asked.

"I'm fine" Pepper said. Then they heard a couple of voices outside of the room, then the door opened.

"There she is!!" a man said.

"Rossi!" Pepper said.

"How are you?" Rossi asked.

"I'm fine!" Pepper said. Then another man came in with a bear and a balloon tied to the bears wrist, the balloon said 'Get Well Soon!'.

"Hope you get better, Pepper" the man said still holding the bear and the balloon.

"Thanks, Ruid" Pepper said. Other man entered the room, with a serious face, he looked like his face was frozen.

"How's the boy?" the man asked.

"Fine, Hotch" Pepper said.

"Good to see your doing fine" He added.

"Thank you" Pepper said.

* * *

It had been three weeks, and the Ghost had not made another appearance, he was probably waiting because now he knows that the FBI are on his trail. Pepper was currently on the rooftop of the Tomorrow Academy. The director had transferred her just a couple of days ago. Sure, she missed her friends, mostly her best friend Gene. **(A/N: Told ya he was gonna have a small part!)** But she had to do her job.

"Is he around?" Tony asked.

"Nope." Pepper said.

"Then why continue looking?" Tony asked.

"I just don't want to let my guard down, again" Pepper said.

"Hey, I'm still alive, your the one who got hurt." Tony stated.

"That's what I'm trying to avoid!" Pepper said.

"Calm down, he's not here" Tony said.

"And its your life on the line..." Pepper muttered.

"What-ever" Tony said separating the two words. Pepper sighed and sat next to her friend.

"What up?" Tony asked.

"Well, it's just...I'm not sure if we can catch this guy...How can we catch something we can't see?" Pepper said.

"It's gonna be okay, just have a little faith." Tony said, trying to calm Pepper down.

"Faith..." Pepper said.

"Right, now what's going on with Stane?" Tony asked.

"He's thinks we just made all that up..." Pepper said.

"Really? Do you think he did all this?" Tony asked.

"I think Stane is capable of everything." Pepper said.

"I wonder how Whitney's taking it." Tony said.

"We studied her too, let's just say she's not my favorite character out there" Pepper said.

"Right." Tony said. "Why don't we hang out today after school, as in friends, Rhodey, you, and me, what do you say?" he asked out of the blue.

"Sure. It might calm me down." Pepper said.

"Cool. I'll meet you at your locker." Tony said.

* * *

Pepper walked out of her last period class. She went directly to her locker. She checked if her badge and gun were in its place, they were. She started stuffing her books into her backpack.

"Hey gorgeous!" a voice said from behind Pepper.

"Gene!!" Pepper exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him into a hug.

"Ah! Missed you too" Gene mumbled.

"Uh...Um, Pepper, I hate to ruin your moment..." Tony's voice said behind them both.

"Ah! Tony! This is Gene...He's gay." Pepper said.

"I'm not!! I'm Bi that's different!!" Gene exclaimed. **(A/N: Whoa! Weren't expecting that were you!! he...he)**

"Cool..." Rhodey said backing away a little.

"Gosh, only because I'm bi-sexual everyone thinks your horny for every guy!" Gene said, noticing his little action.

"Calm down, it just means that he can go both ways." Pepper said.

"Are you ready to go?" Tony asked.

"Yeah!" Pepper said.

"Oooo, can I join?" Gene asked.

"Sure!" Pepper said. "Is it alright with you guys?"

"Yeah" They both said.

"Yayers!!" Pepper said.

* * *

Pepper, Tony, Rhodey, and Gene were sitting in a ice cream shop, eating their ice cream cones. Pepper got strawberry, Tony got chocolate, Rhodey got chocolate chip, and Gene got rainbow sherbet.

"Gene, so you go to Ski Academy?" Rhodey asked.

"Yep." Gene replied. "How's your case goin'?"

"Good. The Ghost hasn't showed his face in a while." Pepper said.

"Oh, really, is that why you randomly started wearing glasses?" Gene asked.

"Yeah" Pepper said.

"Oh, I see" Gene said.

"No, No you don't" Pepper said.

"Yes, yes I do" Gene said.

"Whatever" Pepper said.

"So..." Tony said.

"Not think, know" Gene said.

"What?" Tony asked.

"I don't know, that was random..." Gene said.

"Uh...Okay..." Tony said.

"Do you guys play any sports?" Gene asked.

"No." Tony said.

"Well, I play baseball, but I stopped a few years ago" Rhodey said.

"Why?" Pepper asked.

"I don't know, I just did." Rhodey said.

"Oh, I played-" Pepper stopped in midsentence.

"What?" Gene asked.

"Nothing. Let's just get out of here." Pepper said.

"What? Why?" Rhodey asked.

"No more questions" Pepper hissed with clenched teeth.

"Pepper, what's wrong?" Tony asked.

"I said NO More QUESTIONS!!" Pepper hissed louder. Pepper opened the door, and motioned for them to get up, and leave. Tony, Rhodey, and Gene got up and followed her out.

"What's going on?!" Tony yelled at her. Pepper didn't answer.

"Are you gonna answer me?!" He yelled again. Still Pepper didn't answer.

"God. What the hell is going on?" Tony muttered to himself.

"The Ghost." Pepper whispered.

"What?" Tony said.

"The Ghost, He's on the roof of the building across the street." Pepper whispered. _'So you finally make your appearance...' _Pepper thought.

* * *

And I'm done. With this chapter of course. :) Okay, there's something I wanted to run by you guys. I was rereading 'Will I ever see your face again?' and I was thinking of doing a sequel. I would like to hear your opinion. Would you like one or not? Please, answer my question!! Review please!


	3. Chapter 3

Hey, welcome to the third chapter of Pain Of Love. Enjoy! :)

* * *

Pepper came home that night exhausted! First, she had to save Tony from being shot, which happened about 6 or 7 times. Then the Ghost went for Rhodey about 5 or 4 times. Lastly, the Ghost went for Gene 2 or 3 times. He never went for her though. _'Strange...' _Pepper thought. She collapsed on her bed, and as soon as her head hit the pillow she fell asleep.

**_Pepper's Dream_**...

_Pepper stood in a room of completely white, like were they would keep crazy people. 'Have I gone crazy or what?' Pepper thought. _

_"What should we do with her?" A man's voice asked._

_"I'm not sure..." A womans voice said._

_"Hello? Someone there?" Pepper asked into the white nothingness._

_"She has heard us!!" The womans voice cried._

_"Back child! Back! Back!!" The mans voice said._

_"What did I do wrong?" Pepper asked._

_"Everything" The mans voice hissed. _

_"What the fuck are you guys talking about?!" Pepper said. She received no answer._

_"See, she has gone crazy, Mr. Potts she's talking to no one." The same mans voice said._

_"I guess were just gonna have to keep her here..." Mr. Potts said, sadly to see his daughter gone crazy._

_"What?" Pepper whispered. "I'm Not Crazy!!" _

_"See, she's in denial." The womans voice said. _

_"Come with us sir, this must be a sad sight for you." The mans voice said. Then Pepper heard two gun-shots a few minutes afterwards._

_"Dad? Dad?! DAD?!" Pepper yelled._

_"There's no one to hear you..." A familiar voice said._

_"Tony!" Pepper said as she turned around to face the teen._

_"Pepper, be careful, they're gonna kill you!" Tony whispered._

_"But there after you!" Pepper said._

_"No, he's after you" Tony said before he pulled out a gun..._

Pepper woke up screaming, and her dad rushed in to see if she was okay.

"Pepper! It's okay it's just a nightmare!" Pepper's dad soothed her.

"Dad! You're alive!" Pepper exclaimed, before she pulled him into a tight hug.

"Okay, Pepper it might have been your dream." Mr. Potts said.

"Sorry..." Pepper said.

"Don't strain your left arm to much okay. Night." Mr. Potts said before he closed the door. Pepper laid back down and fell into a dreamless oblivion.

* * *

Pepper entered the Tomorrow Academy, the next day.

"Hey Pepper" Tony said.

"Do you own a gun?" Pepper asked, randomly

"No, why would I own a gun?" Tony said.

"If you owned a gun would you shoot me?" Pepper asked.

"No." Tony said.

"Okay." Pepper said.

"What's with those questions?" Tony asked.

"I had a dream that you about to kill me." Pepper said.

"You do know that dreams are images of what you want?" Rhodey asked.

"Oh! Shut up. Why would I ever want that?" Pepper asked.

"I don't know people have weird desires." Rhodey said. Pepper responded with a glare.

"Sorry, I yelled at you yesterday." Tony said.

"It's okay I would probably to the same thing if someone was out to kill me." Pepper said.

* * *

Pepper and Tony were waiting for Rhodey outside the school.

"Who argues with their history professer about history?" Tony asked.

"Rhodey loves history maybe he'll marry it." Pepper said as she looked through her phone.

_'It's Automatic, Everywhere in your letter, A lie that makes me bleed. It's Automatic' _Pepper's phone rang. It was text from Rhodey.

_'I have to stay after school to finish an essay. Go ahead and leave I might have to stay a while.' _She read.

She responded. _'Are you sure that your not being kidnapped or something?'_

He Responded. _'Are you crazy?! you really think that I'm being kidnapped?!_

She responded. _'Fine. We'll leave, :P_

"Rhodey has to stay to finish an essay, and told me that we can leave without him" Pepper said.

"Okay." Tony said.

"Hey, let's go to the park!" Pepper said.

"Sure" Tony said.

* * *

Tony and Pepper sat on the park bench watching the birds.

"Hey, that ring tone you had..." Tony said.

"Automatic? What about it?" Pepper asked.

"I didn't know you liked Tokio Hotel." Tony said.

"You've heard of them?!" Pepper asked.

"Yeah. They're one of my favorite bands." Tony said. Pepper's mouth dropped open.

"What?" Tony asked.

"Tokio Hotel is my favorite band, I totally love Bill Kaulitz!!" Pepper said.

"Now your starting to seem normal." Tony said.

"Shut up! You're the one who sticks out the most!" Pepper said, hitting him playfully on the arm, while he laughed.

"You know the things that there teaching you too!" Tony said.

"Yeah, but I don't the whole damn school about it." Pepper said.

"So what's your favorite song from their new album?" Tony asked changing the subject.

"Pain Of Love, you?" Pepper replied.

"Screamin'" Tony said.

"Nice, but I think Alien fits you better." Pepper said.

"Shut up..." Tony said.

* * *

Tony entered the lab, he saw Rhodey sitting at the communication center.

"I thought you were at school." Tony said.

"I was. I came here after I looked for you, it was a shock not to find you here." Rhodey said.

"Yeah. I was with Pepper." Tony said.

"Dude, your getting attached. What happens when the jobs over?" Rhodey said.

"I don't know." Tony mummbled. He put on his iPod_. _

_I'm screamin' from the top of the world_

Can you hear me  
I'm screamin' from the top  
of the world  
Can you hear me  
The song started off where it was stopped.

"Nice choice. What happened to your Alesana, and Atreyu?" Rhodey asked.

"Still here. I just felt like listening to Tokio Hotel..." Tony whispered.

"Pepper has heard of them hasn't she?" Rhodey said.

"Yeah. She likes Bill..." Tony said.

"Okay, Tony will you ever tell her that your Iron Man?." Rhodey said.

"Don't worry, Alesana and Atreyu will come back." Tony said, not answering his question at all. **(A/N: If you haven't heard of these 2 bands, their really heavy and screamio. Alesana is falsletto, and Atreyu is false cord.)**

* * *

Pepper ran up to her room, and quickly put her iPod on.

_The pain of love, won't break us up,  
We don't need your salvation._

_The pain of love, will never stop,  
We are our own creation._

_The pain of love, is in our hearts,  
It's deeper than the ocean. _

The Song started. Pepper thought about everything, the Ghost, Tony, Bill Kaulitz, Screamin', Tokio Hotel, the Pain Of Love. She stopped at that. Does love really bring that much pain? If it does, why do people never what to let it go? How does it feel like being love? Can you fall for someone without knowing it? Why where all this these questions all of sudden popping into her head like that? She heard footsteps up the steps of her house. Must be dad... she thought. When the door burst open, to see that figure in the doorway, shocked her. Then she really looked at the person. It was just Gene_._

"Hey Gene." Pepper said.

"Hey gorgeous." Gene said.

"Whats up?" Pepper asked.

"Nothing much. Been bored though, without you there at school." Gene said laying on his back. "You?"

"Thinking about love-I mean thinking the Ghost." Pepper said.

"What?" Gene sat up. "You said you were thinking about love!!"

"No I didn't" Pepper denied.

"Liar! You said 'Thinking about love'!!!" Gene said.

"So what if I did?" Pepper said.

"So you fell for boy genuis huh?" Gene said picking at his fingernails.

"NO! We were just talking and I found out that he likes Tokio Hotel." Pepper muttered.

"Okay." Gene said.

"I also like that warm smile of his...and that twinkle in his eyes when he finds something intersting...and his protective nature..." Pepper said with a hazed look in her eyes.

"Oh yeah, girl. You're in L.O.V.E." Gene said.

"I'm not..." Pepper whispered.

"Yes you are." Gene said.

"No." Pepper said.

"Yes" Gene said.

"No." Pepper said.

"Yes." Gene said.

"No." Pepper said.

"Yes." Gene said.

"No." Pepper said.

"No." Gene said.

"Yes." Pepper said. Gene burst out laughing and pointing at her.

"You fell for that!! Loser!!" Gene said in between laughs.

"Ha. Ha." Pepper said, as she threw a pillow at him._

* * *

_Pepper entered the Tomorrow Academy, the next day. Thinking about how Gene said she was in love with Tony Stark. She was assigned to protect him, and that's it. But last night she just couldn't stop listening to Screamin', Tony's favorite Tokio Hotel song. And kept wondering what was he doing. Could she really be in love with Tony? Pepper turned the corner of the hall. To see Tony talking to a blonde in a long sleeved red shirt, a skirt that came to her knees and black high heels. She would certainly hate wearing that. She then realised that the person who Tony was talking to was Whitney Stane. Pepper felt a ping of anger in her heart. Jealousy? What was unexpected to see was the blonde had crushed her lips against his. The first thing Pepper did was run. She ran and ran. Past the entering Rhodey. Past Ski Academy down the road. Past the park bench. And entered the nearest beach, into the water.

* * *

That's it! Hope you enjoyed it! I know that's a little rushed and everything but I don't care! I think its a little short but oh well, a chapter is a chapter. Um, I usually will update this story and A Great Fire at the same time. So you'll get to read two new chapters. Maybe, sometimes. Reveiw please!


	4. Chapter 4

Pepper walked into the BAU, soaked from head to toe. She listened to her iPod, and didn't bother going to school in wet clothes. She past Reid sitting at his desk looking at pictures from the newest case. He looked up to see her soaking wet, and a pissed-off look on her face.

"What's wrong Pepper?" Reid asked, a worried look on his face.

"Nothing!" Pepper exclaimed.

"Oh, there's something." Morgan said.

"What's up Pepper?" Emily asked.

"Stupid...Tony...Whitney...Tokio Hotel..." Pepper stuttered out.

"Oh yeah. There is something..." Morgan said.

"What did Tony do?" Emily asked.

"Uh...Nothing...Its nothing, seriously I'm just overreacting. I just gonna change and head to school." Pepper said, not wanting to talk about her little crush.

"Alright if you say so..." Reid said. Pepper walked towards her desk. Then entered the bathroom.

"At least this Tony guy won't have to face her wrath..." Emily said.

"Yeah, remember when she was angry with Reid." Morgan said.

"Yeah! It sucked more for you, Reid because you two were partners." Morgan said.

"Hilarious." Reid said.

* * *

School let out, and Pepper was sitting on the steps of the entrance of the Tomorrow Academy. Everyone let out, and she continued to wait. After 15 minutes after the bell rang, Rhodey came out talking to Whitney.

"Pepper! Where were you?!" Rhodey said.

"Got held up...at home!" Pepper said, before she let out that she was an FBI agent to a girl she didn't even like.

"Oh! Pepper this is Whitney, Whitney this is Pepper!" Rhodey introduced them.

"Where's Tony?" Pepper asked, recieving a glare from Whitney.

"He had to leave home early." Rhodey said.

"Alright. Tell him that I'm off, I'll be in Ohio for a few days so, that a new one will be coming." Pepper said.

"How long?" Rhodey asked.

"I don't know. I'll call you once I'm back." Pepper said.

"Okay..." Rhodey said.

"See ya!" Pepper said leaving.

* * *

Tony hovered over the armor coming with terms of what happened today. The kiss with Whitney. Pepper not being there. Rhodey not talking to him much. It all annoyed him. Then the door opened.

"Tony!" Rhodey yelled.

"What?" Tony asked turning around.

"Pepper's gonna be in Ohio for who knows how long..." Rhodey said.

"What?!?" Tony yelled.

"The worlds not gonna end. There'll be a new FBI agent to protect you." Rhodey said.

"Why is she going to Ohio? What's in Ohio?" Tony asked.

"Maybe a murder case? Or a boyfriend she meet during a murder case?" Rhodey said.

"Yeah. Maybe..." Tony said.

* * *

Pepper got on the plane with the rest of the team.

"Hey guys!" Pepper said as she sat next to Reid.

"What are you doing here?" Hotch asked.

"Sorry to be a bother..." Pepper said.

"No! What I meant, aren't you supposed to be protecting Anthony Stark?" Hotch asked.

"I'm taking a break." Pepper sighed.

"By going to work?" JJ asked.

"Yes. I need to work with dead bodies." Pepper said.

"I think you deal better with dead bodies then live ones." Reid said.

"Funny." Pepper said, before she punched him on the arm.

"Who's protecting him?" Emily asked.

"Uh...I think my dad is..." Pepper said.

* * *

Tony walked through the halls of his school, thinking about how everything was working out. Whitney, one of his best friends kissed him. An FBI agent popped out of nowhere, and protected him. Now she is in Ohio, doing God knows what. Plus the replacement hasn't showed up. Neither has the ghost, he thinks. Iron Man has been doing fine. Everything in that area has been fine. Now he had a new area that he never really focused on, Girls. That kiss has awakened some feelings for Whitney, but not much. His 'protector' has gone away, and now he feels lost. He's tied to a triangle. He thought back to that day when Whitney kissed him. He thought he saw Pepper there. With a look of complete betrayal, and pain. He thinks it was him imagination that he saw her run, past Rhodey andd out the door. It annoyed him.

"Tony!" A certain blonde said from across the hall.

"Hey Whitney!" Tony exclaimed.

"How are you?" Whitney asked.

"Fine. You?" Tony said.

"Great! I meat you friend, Pepper the other day." Whitney said.

"Oh. Did she say why she was gone?" Tony asked.

"Yeah. She said she got held up at home or somthing." Whitney said.

"Oh. Okay..." Tony said.

"Why was she going to Ohio?" Whitney asked.

"I don't know, mybe family." Tony said.

"Yeah. That's what I thought." Whitney said.

"So, wanna go get a bite after school?" Whitney asked.

"Yeah! I'd love too." Tony said.

"Great! See you there!" Whitney said.

* * *

The team sat in the conference room, trying to get their profile together in an hour.

"It seems that this unsub, is completely organized. He strikes at certain times, he doesn't attack if it's not the right time..." Rossi said.

"So we can be facing a person with OCD?" Emily asked.

"No. He doesn't seem like that kind of person..." Pepper said.

"He's just organized. Nothing to it." Reid said.

"Maybe, but this still doesn't really give us much that he isn't OCD" Hotch said.

"Right..." Rossi said.

"It looks like this person, will stalk his victims for days..." Pepper said.

"Why did you say that?" Morgan asked.

"He'll stalk them for 3 days, no more, no less. He knows everything you do, so he can kill you in the right time. Shelby Bassett was on her way home when she was killed. The way to her house has this abandoned road. Destiny Escure was on the road to visit her parents, on a Saturday. She takes a back road so that she can get there early. Ashley Theramert, she was in a dark ally when emptying a water bucket. All empty abandoned places." Pepper explained.

"She's on to something..." Hotch said.

"Also, he's going in a pattern, blonde, brunette, blonde, etc., etc." Pepper said.

"Next is a brunette..." Morgan said.

"Exactly." Pepper stated.

"We just found the body of Brenda Herandez, at the Lone Lake." one of the cops there said.

"Is she a brunette?" Pepper asked.

"Yeah..." The cop said.

"I was right." Pepper said.

* * *

Tony entered the resturant with Whitney at his side. They talked about the old days, then the company. And it went to movies, sports, t.v., and music. So gradually it became more personal.

"What's with you and Pepper?" Whitney asked.

"Nothing. Why do you ask?" Tony said.

"Just because, I think she likes you." Whitney said.

"Na. That's impossible. She just to busy." Tony said.

"Is that what you thought when I kissed you?" Whitney asked, a light rose color to her cheeks.

"Yeah. I thought it was impossible." Tony said looking away to cover his cheeks.

"Why don't we give this a go?" Whitney asked.

"...Sure" Tony said.

* * *

Pepper walked back into HQ, that case over and done with. She just needed to talk to her father about how everything was working out with Tony.

"Hey Dad." Pepper said as he entered his office.

"Hey sweetheart." Mr. Potts said.

"How's everything going?" Pepper asked.

"Fine. The Ghost hasn't really done anything since that attack after school." He said.

"Alright. I'll be going now" Pepper said.

"Be careful!" Mr. Potts said.

"Bye Dad!" Pepper said as she closed the door.

Pepper entered the school. Rhodey was at his locker, taking out his books from his backpack.

"Hey Rhodey!" Pepper said.

"Hey Pepper." Rhodey said.

"What's up? Where's Tony?" Pepper asked.

"He's not gonna be here for the first couple of periods, maybe the entire day." Rhodey said.

"Okay. As long as he's safe from the Ghost." Pepper said.

"Yeah. I doubt the Ghost can harm him where he is now." Rhodey said.

"Okay." Pepper said.

"So, Why did you go to Ohio?" Rhodey asked.

"Murder case. I needed to work with dead bodies." Pepper said.

"I think you work better with dead bodies then live ones." Rhodey said.

"Why does everyone say that?!" Pepper exclaimed.

* * *

Tony was eating ice cream, with his girl friend, Whitney. He still wondered when Pepper was coming back, but wasn't thinking about her that much anymore. They talked about the usual stuff, blah, blah, blah.

"Gene, Please? I saved you remember?" a voice pleaded.

"Ugh. Fine!" another voice said. Tony turned around.

"Pepper?" Tony said.

"Tony!" Pepper said. "What are you doing here? With Whitney?"

"Uhh...Yeah, Whitney and I started dating..." Tony said.

"Of course..." Pepper hissed.

"What?" Tony asked.

"Now I see..." Pepper said.

"What?" Tony asked, again.

"I-I'm getting off this case. My father will be watching you from a far...I won't be here anymore...goodbye..." Pepper whispered.

"What? Pepper, please...Why?" Tony asked.

"Goodbye!!" Pepper yelled and she left the ice cream shop.

"Oooooooo!!!" Gene said, as he left the ice cream shop too.

Pepper excited the ice cream shop to the bitter cold. What was she doing at an ice cream shop at this temputure? Nevermind. Why did she do that? She was frustrated with everything, she was gone what 2 weeks? And Tony got a girlfriend! Pepper saw a shadow in the ally behind the shop.

"Get out of there!" Pepper yelled into the darkness of the ally. No one answered.

"Hey!" She yelled again. No answer.

"Hello?!" Pepper yelled once again. Pepper pulled out her gun, and aimed it at the dark figure.

"Get out of the shadows or I'll shoot!" She said.

"You won't do that." A familar voice said.

"Morgan." Pepper whispered.

"Yeah?" Morgan said as he stepped out of the shadows.

"What are you doing here?" Pepper asked.

"Uhh..." Morgan replied.

"Your following me because my father sent you to protect me isn't he?" Pepper asked.

"Uhh...How'd you know?" Morgan asked.

"Lucky Guess." Pepper said putting her gun back in its place.

"Pepper listen if your father never..." Morgan tried to say.

"I can never do anything by myself huh?" Pepper said.

"Listen, Pepper..." Morgan tried to sooth her but...

"No! I hate you! No one ever listens to me!! God, why is everyone out to make my life miserable?!" Pepper yelled to him.

"Pepper! Calm down!" Morgan said.

"No. I resigned from the case. Now I resign from the FBI, forever." Pepper said with tears in her eyes.

"Pepper...Please don't do this...We're family!" Morgan said.

"Here's my badge." Pepper took off her badge. "And my gun." She handed him her gun.

"Pepper..." Morgan said.

"Hope everyone has a nice life!" Pepper said.

"Pepper!!" A teen voice said from behind them both. They turned around to see Gene standing next to Tony.

"Tony?! What the hell do you want?!" Pepper said coldly.

"Why...? Why are you...doing this?" Tony asked.

"None of you god damn business!!" Pepper yelled, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Pepper...your crying..." Tony whispered.

"Shut up!" Pepper said before she ran off.

Pepper ran about four blocks, before someone put a black bag on her head and taken into some kind of car.


	5. Chapter 5

Tony, Morgan, and Gene, stood out in the cold staring at the direction Pepper went. They didn't talk, it was just so shocking. But the silence had to end eventually, who broke it? Gene, with a whistle.

"Well, that was dramatic, even for Pepper." Gene said as he put an arm on Tony's shoulder.

"Uhh...Tony? What's wrong?" Whitney said coming out of the shop.

"Nothing. I think it's best if you go home. I need to talk to Mr. Morgan." Tony said not looking at her, only at the direction Pepper ran.

"Are you okay?" Whitney asked, worriedly.

"Yeah. I'm fine I just need to talk to him." Tony said, peeling his eyes away from that direction to look at her, and smile.

"Alright. Bye Tony!" Whitney said before she started to head home. After she left, the silence resumed for some seconds before Gene whistled again.

"Now what? I mean Pepper being gone...Its kinda awkward..." Gene said. Tony and Morgan looked over to him.

"You know what?" Gene took his arm off Tony's shoulder. "I think that direction" He pointed the direction Pepper ran. "Is looking great" He smiled, than ran that direction.

"Lets go inside?" Tony asked after Gene ran.

"Sure." Morgan said. They sat at a table, and sat in silence for a while.

"Tell me...Tell me about Pepper." Tony said.

"Pepper is a hard headed girl. A lot like her father. She's smart. She put peices together that Reid couldn't put together. She even beat him at chess, one time. But I personally think he let her win." he chuckled. "We were family. Garcia loves her, like a little sister. Reid sees her as a little sister too, so do I. Rossi is like an uncle to her. Even Hotch likes her as daughter. She's a very like able person." Morgan said.

"How did you guys meet?" Tony asked.

_**[Flashback]**_

_"This is one of most maniac type of murders I've ever seen." JJ said._

_"There's many more." Morgan said._

_"Hey, do know who made the profile?" Reid asked._

_"Do you really think we know?" Emily said._

_"I heard it was Potts..." JJ said._

_"Na. Potts is no longer in the BAU." Emily said._

_"Yeah. But which Potts?" Rossi said joining in with conversation._

_"What? Potts' daughter?" Morgan asked._

_"Yeah. I heard that she takes a look that cases we have she makes profile, and I heard that hers is always roughly right." Rossi said._

_"No way!" Reid said._

_"Conference Room in 5 minutes." Hotch said._

_"What's up?" Morgan asked when he entered the room._

_"Hello! I'm Pepper!!" _

_"Aahh!" Morgan yelled._

_"Well, I don't think I look that bad." Pepper pouted._

_"Sorry kiddo, I didn't see you there." Morgan said._

_"Who the hell are you calling kiddo?" Pepper asked._

_"Uhh...you..." Morgan said._

_"I'm fourteen. I'm calling you oldie!! What are you 66?" Pepper said._

_"No!! I'm-" "Stop arguing!!" Pepper's father said._

_"Sorry dad..." Pepper said before walking back to his side._

_"Everyone, this is Agent Potts. And his daughter Pepper." Hotch said._

_"What's wrong?" Reid asked._

_"Whoa!! Are you Dr. Spencer Reid?!" Pepper asked._

_"...yeah..." Reid said._

_"Dad? Aren't you the one that said that he was alien?" Pepper asked._

_"Pepper!!" Mr. Potts yelled._

_"he he I'm joking! he he I'm joking about the joking." Pepper smirked._

_"Are you okay?" Reid asked._

_"Aaww. He doesn't like me." Pepper said in a sing-song like tone._

_"Pepper! Stop talking!" Mr. Potts said._

_"Fine. Fine." Pepper said._

_"Anyway, appperantly, the director said that the profile that was given to Reid. Was made by her." Hotch said._

_"What?" Emily said._

_"I made that profile. To that maniac murder." Pepper said with the gaint smile plastered on her face._

**_[End of Flashback]_**

"Whoa. She was still crazy back then..." Tony muttered.

"Yeah. She was a fun person to work with." Morgan chuckled.

"Where was your guys first case together?" Tony asked.

**_[Flashback]_**

_"So this man..." Reid said._

_"Or woman." Pepper said._

_"What?" Morgan asked._

_"Woman. She tends to be a little apologetic at the end of her crime. Plus the delicate ways of how the knife goes around the body." Pepper explained._

_"What knid of man is delicate?" Emily chuckled._

_"Gay guys." Pepper said._

_"That are into girls." JJ said._

_"I don't know.." Pepper said._

_**[End of Flashback]**_

"It was the Quintero case." Morgan said.

"What?" Tony asked.

"Remember the news two years ago? On the news here, about how a person kept on murdering teenagers in Maryland?" Morgan asked.

"Yeah." Tony said.

"That's the very first case. She suspected it was a woman." Morgan said.

"Yeah." Tony said.

"I remember the first time she meet Rossi, it was just little while after I meet her..."

**_[Flashback]_**

_"Anyway, Pepper, will-"_

_"Did I miss anything?" Rossi interrupted._

_"Not quiet yet." Hotch said._

_"Rossi, this Pepper." Mr. Potts introduced._

_"Honor, sir." Pepper held out her hand._

_"Likewise. Thank you." Rossi shook her hand._

_"How come she wasn't like that to us?" Morgan whispered to Reid. Reid just shrugged._

_"Pepper, here did a project on you, Rossi." Mr. Potts informed._

_"Dad!" Pepper whispered._

_"Oh. And why is that?" Rossi asked._

_"Because she read about the agents that started the BAU. And that you were one of them. She read a couple of your books, and did a project about you." Mr. Potts explained._

_"I'm honored, Ms. Potts." Rossi said._

_"It's Pepper. Just Pepper." Pepper corrected him. "Plus, it had be someone that worked in the same area the you wanted to work at, since my father was no longer in the BAU, and I didn't know anyone else but you." _

_"You want to work at the BAU?" Rossi asked._

_"Yep! I've always been interested in solving murders." Pepper said._

_"I hope that someday you'll achieve it." Rossi said._

_"Actually, Rossi she already has." Hotch said._

_"What?" Rossi asked._

_"Meet the newest addition to our team." _

**_[End of Flashback]_**

"Whoa. Pepper had to take a big load, that young..." Tony said

"Yeah. She was-"

"Tony!! Morgan!!" Gene ran into the shop, panting, and sweating a little bit.

"Gene! What's wrong?!" Tony asked. Gene rested his hands on his knees, and held up a finger. He took a deep breath.

"I can't find Pepper!" Gene said.

"What?" Morgan said.

"I can't find Pepper! I looked for her, at the park, at the beach, where she usually goes when she gets mad. Even at home, her dad is looking for her right now." Gene said.

"Where could've she gone?" Tony asked.

"One more thing. I found her cellphone..." Gene said.

"So?" Morgan asked.

"Smashed into peices." Gene said, taking out peices of a pink cellphone.

"Oh my god..." Tony whispered.

* * *

Tony was running down the streets around Pepper's apartment building. Yelling her name every couple of minutes.

_'I should have gone after her. Damn it!!'_ Tony thought.

"PEPPER!!" Tony yelled into a dark alley. He ran into Morgan.

"No luck." Tony said, then his cellphone vibrated.

"Hello?" Tony answered.

_"Put it in speaker phone!" _A voice demanded at the other end of the line. He put in speaker.

_"Agent Morgan, Tony Stark. Wanna play a game?"_

"Who is this?"

_[Evil laughing] "You tell me"_

"I'd rather have you tell me."

_"hmm, I think Pepper should tell you"_

_"Morgan?! Reid?! Pleade help me!! You know I'm clustrophobic!!" _Pepper's voice came out of the other end.

"Pepper! Are you okay?!"

_"I'm fine! God, just get me out of here!"_

"We'll do everything possible."

_"Tony?!"_

"Pepper! I swear I'll get you out of there!!"

_...._

* * *

Hope you enjoyed. Please tell me what villian you want to be the kidnapper!! :)


	6. Chapter 6

Hey! I got to use my sister's laptop for this, 'cuz she got it taken away. :P Anyway, there's a big suprise in this chapter, I thought about right when I was going to sleep. So, it took me forever to go back to that sleepy state. Enjoy!

* * *

"Pepper? Pepper?! PEPPER?!" Tony yelled back into the phone. He couldn't believe it. She's kidnapped...

"Let's get to the BAU. Garcia might be able to track the phone number." Morgan said. He looked dead serious, like someone sucked out his life.

"Okay..." Tony said unsurely. He couldn't stand being helpless not if he couldn't save her.

* * *

Pepper struggled in the ropes that held her hands in place. Her arms had gone numb from poor circulation. She should have never gone into this case, then she would have never meet Tony, and she would have never fell for him. She struggled again, trying to free herself.

"Getting tired, Pepper?" A familiar voice said.

"Huh?" Pepper said looking towards the voice.

"Pepper Potts, 16 years of age, full-time student, attends the Tomorrow Academy, a secret BAU FBI agent. Also solved the Quintero case am I right?" The voice said.

"Who are you?" Pepper asked.

"Ghost." the voice said.

"Who gave you the hit?" Pepper asked.

"I did." another voice said. Pepper craned her neck to see the person.

"Director...?!"

* * *

"Got anything Garcia?" Morgan asked.

"It was Pepper phone..." Garcia asked.

"No way that's impossible, Pepper's phone was crushed." Tony said.

"They just could get a new phone and use the same number." Garcia said.

"But wouldn't we be able to trace it?" Emily asked.

"Exactly, but I can't, whoever has her knows the system." Garcia said.

"We have 48 hours at best to save her." Hotch said.

"Huh?" Tony said.

"This is a normal kidnapping, most kidnappers kill the people they take in first 24 or 48 hours. In this type of kidnapping the person most likely wants something from us. He won't kill her if he doesn't need to, it's a last resort." Reid said.

"Okay." Tony said.

"So there might be a ransom?" JJ asked.

"Yes. We might just have to wait." Reid said. Tony ran his fingers through his hair. He was helpless. Until his phone vibrated...

* * *

"What the hell?!? Why?!?" Pepper yelled.

"The FBI is not so good to who they trust, are they?" the Director said.

"Why me?" Pepper asked.

"Why not?" the Director said sitting down.

"Traitor! You've seen those bastards that kill innocent people and your just like them!!" Pepper yelled at him.

"Hmm, I'm so hurt!" The Director said sarcastically.

"I actually thought you believed in me..." Pepper whispered.

"Aaww, but I do. I want to take you on as my apprentice." the Director said.

"What? No way." Pepper said.

"Fine. Ah, just as I suspected there all in the BAU..." The Director said.

"What?" Pepper said.

"Derek Morgan, Penelope Garcia, Jenifer Jerau, Dr. Spencer Reid, Aaron Hotchner, David Rossi, and Tony Stark..." The Director had a image of them, there were in the BAU.

"What are doing?" Pepper asked.

"Ghost? Is the bomb ready?" The Director asked.

"Yes, sir." The Ghost said.

"Get ready to blow things up." The Director said.

"What? Blow things up? Please don't tell me that your gonna blow up the BAU!!" Pepper yelled.

"You know you can stop it. Just accept."

* * *

Tony took out his phone, it was a text.

It read:

_If you want to see your little agent again, have Tony Stark come to the docks. With 500 million dollars. We'll give her back to you. _

"Guys. I think I just got the ransom..." Tony said.

"What?" Rossi said.

"Let me see that." Reid said. Tony handed the phone. "That's strange..."

"What?" Morgan said.

"They hardly mention her,They don't talk about killing her, like there more interested about keeping her alive. Why?" Reid said.

"Your right. They never mention about killing her." Rossi said.

"So what we have is that this man would never kill her right?" Garcia asked nervously.

"Don't worry, Garcia we'll find her." Morgan said.

"I-I feel horrible." Garcia said.

"Why? What's wrong?" Morgan asked.

"We had an argument and I wished she would just disappear, I was angry..." Garcia burst into tears.

"People say stupid things when their angry, I know I do sometimes." Tony soothed.

"Thanks, little genius..." Garcia wiped her tears away.

* * *

"What happens if I accept?" Pepper asked.

"Oh you know...I teach you everything I know. How to kill without a trace, bombs, poison. Everything you need to know about terrorism." The Director said.

"Terriosm?" Pepper asked.

"Yes, exactly. Actually I already have an assignment for you." The Director smiled.

"What is it?" Pepper asked.

"Top secret. NNTK." The director said.

"NNTK? What the hell?" Pepper said.

"Like it? I made it up." The Director.

"Whatever. Why chose me of all people?" Pepper asked.

"Minds are easier to mold when their young. And your already a great profiler, a natural one. I put you in the BAU with one of the best profiler teams, now here you are one of the best young profilers out there." The Director said.

"I won't accept until you tell me the assignment." Pepper said.

"Oh? Well, I can't tell that to an outsider." The Director said.

* * *

Rhodey walked into the lab, worried. Both Tony and Pepper hadn't called or shown around school, anywhere. He sat down in a chair and sighed. He looked for them for like forever. He couldn't find at least one of them. He sighed again. His eyelids felt heavy, he was sleepy. He was falling asleep until his phone went off. He jumped up, and pulled it out. It was a video message.

He opened the video.

It had a man with white clothing. With the docks in the background. "Listen, to whoever is watching this. We have Pepper Potts. If you don't want her to get killed. Come to the docks, at midnight. No earlier or later. Better have the 500 million dollars." The video ended. He freaked and called Tony's cell.

"Tony!"

_"Rhodey what's wrong?" _

"I got a video message on my phone. Was Pepper kidnapped?"

_"What?! What did you see?"_

"A man with white clothing, and a white with red mask. He said that to come to the docks at midnight with 500 million dollars! What's going Tony?!"

_"Pepper's been kidnapped, by the Ghost." _

"What should I do?"

_"Uhh...come to the BAU, with the Iron Man backpack."_

"Okay. I'll be there in a about 5 minutes."

_"Hurry!"_

Rhodey grabbed the backpack, and ran out of the lab.

* * *

Pepper struggled again, she just couldn't believe that the director is a mole. Her arms started to go numb. She closed her eyes hoping that this was all a dream.

"Don't fall asleep on me Pepper!"

"Stupid..." Pepper said.

"Aww, is that a way to call your master?" The Director asked.

"Well, is the master is you, yes. Plus, I never said yes." Pepper said.

"You also never said no." The Director said.

"Your sick." Pepper said.

"Thank you." The Director said.

"Tell me the assignment and I'll join." Pepper said.

"No. You'll just be killed. You really think I'm gonna let you walk now that you know my idenity? No way." The director said.

"What truly happens if I say yes?" Pepper asked.

"In honesty, you'll never see your family, friends...Tony... What do say?" The director said. _'Never seeing Tony...'_

"I..."

* * *

Whatcha think?? Having a traitor in the story? Pepper going to the dark side?? Hope you enjoyed!


	7. Chapter 7

Tony walked towards the docks, with a briefcase in hand, and his Iron Man backpack on. The briefcase containing 500 million dollars. People would kill for this briefcase, 500 million dollars who wouldn't want it? Tony walked near the edge of the wooden passageway.

"Drop the case." a voice said. Tony placed the case down on the wood.

"Kick it over." Tony kicked over the case forward. In return a case reached him.

"Open it." Tony opened the case. He gasped at what he saw inside.

"Pepper's badge..." Tony mumbled. "Where's the gun?"

"Right here." A gun was pointed to the back of Tony's head. Tony raised his hands.

"Pepper!" He hissed.

"What?" She asked.

"What are you doing?" Tony said.

"Doing what I'm supposed to." Pepper whispered.

"What?" Tony said.

"Stop talking already!" The other voice boomed out.

"Ghost, show yourself!" Tony yelled.

"Fine." He said, and showed himself. "Hi. How are you doing?"

"I would be doing fine if I didn't have a gun pointed to my head." Tony replied.

"Hmm, wouldn't anybody?" Ghost asked.

"I think so.." Another voice said.

"Who's that?" Tony asked.

"Boss..." Pepper said.

Okay, let's back-track.

Rewind.

Back, Back, Back.

Here we go;

"I...I'm not so sure." Pepper said.

"Why not? Traveling. You get to learn things way advanced. I show you the way of-"

"Being a murder?"

"Still on that huh?" The director said.

"Yes. I caught people like you, think that they can get away with murder." Pepper said

"Tell me, why is it that you can only catch a person after he or she takes a life?" The director asked.

"Shut up. I know that. I will stop him or her from taking another life!" Pepper yelled.

"Really? What about the Quintero case? It took you 8 or 9 bodies to catch this person." The director said.

"...I still caught her. I caught her right before she made 10." Pepper said.

"Still. It makes no difference. Animals are humans. Humans are animals. Many have a need to kill, fight and survive. Then theres you people that believe that there on a rightous path of justice." The director said.

"It's just like I thought. You do know how to make humans look like blood-thirsty animals!" Pepper yelled.

"How are they really any different? Look at the criminals that there killing. How is the FBI any different than the people that kill people for a need?" The director said.

"We stop them! We have a justice to have people to enjoy their lives without getting worried about getting killed!" Pepper replied.

"Don't worry about that anymore, you'll just be part of the long list people murdered." The director said.

"Wait! I never said no!" Pepper said.

"Now your talking!" The director said.

"I have one condition. You can never trust me. If I get the chance I will kill you. Anyway, I'll get away from you." Pepper explained.

"Fine with me. You would never need to trust me." The director smiled.

"Alright, I'll become your 'apprentice'" Pepper sighed.

This brings us to this point;

"Boss..." Pepper said. A man with red and white mask on, came onto the docks.

"Hello. Stark, Anthony." The man said. (A/N: Which is the director.)

" What do you what?"Tony asked.

"Nothing. You already brought it." The man said. picking up the case. And looked to the direction behind Tony. "Tsk. FBI. I thought you would be smart enough to come alone."

"You never said anything against them" Tony said.

"True, but I can't stand the FBI." The man said.

"I could tell." Tony scoffed.

"Attitude. Pepper, Ghost go take care of them." The man said. "Leave Tony to me."

"Right."

"Now where were we?"

**With Pepper**....

"How do you think he's doing?" Morgan asked.

"Can't tell." Emily said.

"I know right." Pepper said.

"Pepper...?" Morgan said.

"What?" Pepper said.

"They let you go?" Reid asked.

"No. I just left." Pepper said.

"Where's Tony?" Morgan asked.

"I don't know, he probably already drowned him in the sea, shot him, poisoned him, who knows?" Pepper said.

"Don't you care?" JJ asked.

"Not really. I'd rather have him dead too." Pepper smiled.

"What's going on?!" Morgan yelled. "This isn't you!"

"So...? A person can change." Pepper replied calmly.

"Usually for the better not for worse!" Morgan said.

"You know, your pain." Pepper pointed the gun to him. "To a person with a gun." The surronding agents raised their own guns.

"Put them down. I know her, she won't shoot." Hotch said. "Your lucky that your father is away on a mission."

"Maybe I won't, but he will." Pepper smiled. The Ghost appeared, and shot one of the agents down.

"The...Ghost..." Reid stuttered out.

"I can sign autographs if you want." Ghost laughed.

"Never." Morgan said, disdainfully.

"Well, that was dripping with disdain." Pepper scoffed.

"Pepper, this isn't you, I know why your doing this." Emily said.

Pepper laughed, and said; "Oh, really?"

"Yes." Emily said.

"Ghost, can you go and see if boss is done with Tony?" Pepper asked. The Ghost nodded and walked away.

**With Tony...**

"Now, where were we?" The man said.

"What have you done?!" Tony yelled.

"Nothing, I made an offer, she accepted. That's all." The man said.

"NO! She wouldn't have!! I know her!!" Tony yelled.

"What have you known her for a month, or 2?" The man asked.

"Maybe, but I feel like I've known her for a lifetime..." Tony whispered.

"Please, go back to those sappy romance novels." The man said.

"SHUT UP!! I CARE!! IS IT WRONG TO LOVE HER!!" Tony yelled. And then stopped. _'Love her...? What?'_

"Whoa there lover boy, you'll never see her again. I'll have to kill her before she walks away from me." Even though the man had a mask on Tony can tell he had a smile on his face. Tony presses the center button and turns into Iron Man. The man laughs, and says "Well, look at this it's Iron Man!"

"Shut up!!" Tony says in his Iron Man voice. Then, he tackles and he flys off with the man.

"HEY!" The man yelled.

**With Pepper...**

"That was rough!" Pepper sighed out.

"What?" Morgan asked.

"You know what? I don't think I would do good in undercover missions." Pepper shivered.

"You were acting?!" Morgan asked.

"Duh! That why it's called undercover mission." Pepper said.

"Your one tricky kid." Reid said. Pepper smirked.

"Now, time for the boss to get his news." Pepper laughed

"I think that's a good idea." Hotch said. They walked towards the end of the dock. They walked towards Tony.


	8. Chapter 8

The man was laughing hysterically. Tony flew across the begining of the Alantic ocean.

"If you don't shut up I'm going to drop you." 'Iron Man' said.

"I'm not afraid of death!! I am death!!" The man laughed. Tony growled.

"Death? What do you know of death?!" Iron Man yelled.

"Everything!!" The man laughed.

"Shut up!" Tony landed.

"What are you gonna do with me? You just flew AWAY from the FBI." The man said.

"I'm gonna make sure you suffer first!" Iron man said.

"Aww, really?" the man said.

"Pepper. What did you do her?!" Iron man yelled.

"What happened to me suffering?" The man asked, casually.

"Thats still gonna happen, now tell me what you did to Pepper!" Tony yelled.

"Nothing. She went ahead and joined me." The man said. Tony growled, and he just punched him. The man fell to the ground.

"That all you got!!"

* * *

"Where they go?" Morgan asked.

"That's strange. He left the case..." Pepper said.

"Pepper, what do you know?" Emily asked.

"Nothing! I'm just an 'apprentice'!" Pepper said.

"Are you sure, some kind of hint that tells you where Tony is?" Emily asked.

"Yes! All he said was that he would take care of what happened to Tony!" Pepper said.

"So, your saying Tony could be dead right now?!" Morgan said.

"Its impossible, Tony can't be dead yet. Boss, he left the case. Tony must have done something." Pepper said.

"Theres no need to call him boss, anymore Pepper." Morgan said.

"Strange..." Reid said.

"What?" Pepper asked.

"He must have not killed him...." Reid said.

"Why do you say that?" Emily asked.

"His backpack, remember he was wearing it, if he killed him and dragged his body somewhere else the man would have taken off the backpack to make the load lighter." Reid said.

"That's true, the man didn't look like he had a great muscler build." Emily said.

"Then where is he?" Pepper asked.

"Kidnapped. The Ghost was here..." Morgan said.

"The Ghost was here!!" Reid exclaimed.

"Right!! Then where is he?" Morgan said.

"Invisible remember?" Pepper said.

"Yeah, do you have those glasses?" Reid asked.

"Yeah, right here." Pepper put on the glasses. She looked around, nothing. Looked around more, still nothing. He wasn't there. "He's not here, I think he ran once Boss took Tony." Pepper pushed the glasses up her nose.

"No need to call him Boss anymore, Pepper." Morgan muttered.

"Right." Pepper said.

"Anyway, we should look around the city." Emily suggested.

"Pepper and Reid look around the docks over there. Emily and I will look-" "At the warehouse down there." Pepper pointed down back the wooden path.

"But we were right there, he couldn't pass us with Tony's punches flying everywhere." Reid said.

"True, but theres a way there without passing there, all you need is a boat, which are everywhere." Pepper said.

"Wow, you learned a lot." Morgan smiled.

"It's not always that I can take a look around a murderer's hideout." Pepper laughed.

"Okay, Everyone got where where were looking? He can't get far." Morgan said.

"Lets get going." Pepper said.

* * *

"No way I can do way more!!" Iron Man yelled.

"Really what?!" The man yelled back. Tony tackled him into a near by building, breaking the wall. Pushing through, knocking over anything in the way. (This by the way can do serious damage to your spine.) Tony dropped him down on the floor. Hard. He then punched him, in the stomach over and over and over and over. Until the man had blood spilling out of his mouth. He then picked him up by the throat.

"Theres nothing you can do!" Iron Man said. He let him go. The man coughed. He laughed.

"I know that you lover her now, but she hates you...!!" The man laughed. Tony clenched his fist. He punched him in the face, twice.

"Shut up, your lucky I don't kill people." Tony growled.

"Really...? If I sent you off one more time you might do so." The man coughed out some blood. Tony froze, he almost beat this guy up, he was defenseless, he...

"What are you thinking? That I'm right?" The coughed again. Tony clenched his fist again, he was gonna finish him off, when he realised, why kill him? When he can go through years in jail, and probably get a hell on earth. He smirked, one more punch couldn't hurt. Tony punched him again, this time in the face, he heard a crack. He broke his nose!!

"AH! Asshole, you broke my nose!" Tony was able to see the man's face, baby blue eyes, dark black hair, a scar running down the side of his left eye.

"What's your name?"

* * *

"Tony!! Tony!!" Pepper yelled, around the docks on the other side of the warehouse. They had just gotten word that no one was in the warehouse, a couple of missing peoples bodies, but no Tony, no Boss. Pepper knew Tony wouldn't last long, the boss said it himself.

_"Once Stark gives us the money, I'll take care of him." _

That's what he said, no doubt about it. Tony's either dead, or he's still fighting. Pepper continued to search. Until she saw a building that had a gaint hole in its side.

"Tony!!" She said. No answer. "Tony!!" Still no answer. She was about to turn around and go back to Reid. When she heard;

"AH! Asshole you broke my nose!!"

"What's your name!!" Tony! He's alive!!


	9. Chapter 9

Tony, he's alive, Pepper knew it, Pepper heard his voice.

"Reid! I think I just found him!" Pepper yelled towards the direction she came from.

"I'm coming!" Reid said.

"Tony!" Pepper yelled into the hole of the now broken building.

"Pepper! Don't go in there! Not alone!" Reid yelled.

"Alright, I'll wait here." Pepper said standing in the same spot. Before Reid could reach her, a red blur flew past her.

"What the-" The force was so strong that she fell backwards, causing some pieces from the broken building to fall, including some big ones, as she fell a big peice came and fell on her leg. Pepper screamed in pain. That peice felt really heavy, Pepper was stuck.

"HELP!" Pepper yelled. "REID! REID! REID!" No one came.

"HELP!" Pepper yelled again. Again no one came. Pepper tried to push the rock herself, she the failed.

"REID!" She tried again, but it wasn't Reid who showed up.

"Ghost..." Pepper whispered, she was goner, he was going to kill her for betrayal.

"Pepper, are you ok?" Pepper looked up, eyes wide.

"No. I have a gaint rock on my leg." Pepper responded. The ghost then lifted the rock, and picked her up on his back.

"You're gonna be safe now..."

* * *

Tony heard her, calling for help, so he flew back but the time he reached her she was gone.

"Rhodey?" He called heading back to the lab.

"Is Pepper okay?" He answered.

"I don't know..."

"How can you not know?"

"I heard her calling for help, but when I went back, she was gone!"

"Tony! Hurry, I think the agents are coming back, hurry!"

Tony went towards the FBI building. Thoughts rushing through his head. Pepper this, and Pepper that. He couldn't get that image out if his head, the man with the scar. Did they catch him? Is he still in the building? Did he get away? Does he still have Pepper? Is he gonna kill her like he said he would? He landed on the rooftop. Put away his armor in a special case he made earlier that week. He opened the door, ran down the steps, soon he could see Rhodey.

"Rhodey!" He yelled.

"Tony! Are you okay?" Rhodey yelled.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Pepper? Have you heard from her?"

"No. What happened?" Rhodey asked

"I told you already!" Tony yelled

"Well? I'm worried!" Rhodey yelled back.

"So, am I!" Tony retorted back angrily. There they were having a loud arguement right in the middle of the FBI headquarters.

"Tony!" He turned around to see his father there standing in the enterance of the building. He felt like he should run into his arms and cry like he did when he was 5 broke a protoype.

"What happened?" He said as he approached Tony and Rhodey. So, Tony told his father the whole story, from Pepper getting kidnapped, to Rhodey and him arguing in the middle of the office. Of course not directly telling him that he was Iron Man, but did tell him that he punched the guy couple times.

"Hmm, so where is she now?" Howard asked.

"That's what we were arguing about..." Rhodey said.

"Ah. Where is her father?" Howard asked.

"He's on mission, somewhere in Florida or something" Tony replied.

"Okay. Do you know if he's aware of this?" Howard asked.

"No." Rhodey answered.

"Why?" Howard asked.

"Dad, we dont know all the details so we can't tell you everything." Tony said.

"Okay, wheres this team you talking about?" Howard asked.

"That we don't know." Tony said.

"They may still be looking for Tony." Rhodey said, Tony elbowed him.

"What?" Howard said.

"I kinda diappeared when I got into a fight, and they might be looking for me." Tony mumbled.

"What? How could you be so foolish?" Howard yelled.

"Sorry, I'll just give Morgan a call." Tony said.

"You are in so much trouble!" Howard told Tony. Tony called Morgan.

_Ring Ring_

"Morgan?"

_"Tony? Where are you?"_

"I'm with Rhodey, at the FBI headqauters."

_"How did you get there?"_

"Long story, do you know where Pepper is?"

_"We're looking for her, I'll call you when we have something"_

"Like what? A corpse?"

_"What do you know Tony?"_

"Nothing!"

Tony hung up, and slammed the phone down on the desk.

"Tony. Is everything okay?" Rhodey asked.

"NO!" Tony yelled.

"Tony, I know your hurt, but that doesn't mean you have to yell at everyone trying to help." Howard said. Tony ignored his father, and went up the stairs heading towards the roof. He got the case, and put on his armor.

* * *

Pepper sat there on a rooftop. Wondering about Tony, what he was doing. If he was looking for her, thinking, what was he doing.

"Ghost, why are you helping me?" Pepper asked.

"Because, I didn't want another kid die." Ghost said.

"Why don't you take me to the team?" Pepper said.

"Because, knowing what I am, I don't know whats gonna happen to me if I'm close to those people." Ghost answered.

"But I am one of those people, I'm not doing anything!" Pepper told him.

"That's true, but thats because I saved your life, but rememer I shot your father." Ghost replied.

"I know, but I know you won't hurt me know. Will you?" Pepper said.

"No, I don't kill kids." Ghost said.

"Trust me, please take me back to the team!" Pepper begged.

"No! You've been where I've been! It's hard to get out." Ghost said.

"This is just another slow way of killing me!" Pepper exlaimed.

"I'm not!" Ghost retorted back.

"You said you don't kill kids, what about Tony? What about me?" Pepper said, angrily.

"That's a job, I need the money." Ghost said.

"So, how is this any different?" Pepper yelled.

"Shut up!" Ghost said.

"Wait,please help me!" Pepper was almost at the verge of tears, she needed help. Bad. Then, the same red and yellow blur flew past.

"Iron Man..." Ghost said. "I heard a lot about you..."

"Hello, Ghost. I've heard a lot about you too..."

* * *

And the plot thickens! Sorry for the wait on this chapter, Summer is coming up for us (yay!) so I'll have a lot of time to update! Plus, my sisters laptop got fixed so a lot quicker updates! But until then, please be patient with me. I won't be able to update as quickly as I'd like to. Enjoy your day! :)


	10. Chapter 10

"Oh! Come on! Seriously? Why can't you just fly away? I was getting somewhere emotionally!" Pepper told Iron Man.

"What? Your on a rooftop with an assassin, how can you get somewhere emotionally?" Iron Man asked.

"Cut the crap! I'm gonna defeat you, then I'm gonna take Pepper back to her team." The Ghost said.

"I don't think so! How do I know that your not gonna kill her?" Iron Man said.

"I don't kill kids." The Ghost stated.

"Bullshit." Iron Man raised his laser. _(**A/N: I don't know what to call it.)**_ "What about Tony Stark?"

"That's different!" The Ghost yelled.

"This is different too." Iron Man said, before he shooted The Ghost, causing him to fly backwards, because he lacked the protection he needed to bloack this attack.

"Hey!" Pepper yelled.

"What?" Iron Man yelled.

"That wasn't necessary!" Pepper retorted.

"...Fine..." Iron Man flew to the fallen Ghost, and put his hand out for him. Instead of taking it, Ghost took out his gun, and shot Iron Man, close to his arc reactor. _**(A/N: That's what's called right?)**_

******Inside the suit.**

"System, malfunction. Losing Power."

"What? Fix it!" Tony said.

"Wound too close to power source, can't be fixed automatically."

"Call Rhodey!" Tony ordered.

"L-Losing power, E-E-Emergency S-Shut down."

"What? No!" Tony yelled. Everything then went black. The suit became to heavy, and the air was constricted. Not to mention the shot got pretty close to injuring him. So, he was having trouble breathing...

**Outside the suit.**

"Iron Man!" Pepper yelled. There wasn't an answer coming, He was stumbling backwards, towards the edge of the building.

"That's your hero, Pepper. See? He's just as venerable like everyone else. There's nothing special about him." The Ghost said, panting.

"No...He can't..." Pepper muttered.

"Yes. He's dying." The Ghost said, and disappeared.

"Ghost! Get back here!" Pepper yelled to the air, but no one came.

"Iron Man!" Pepper yelled.

Tony heard Pepper yelling at him, not to leave her, to get up and help her. That he shouldn't be so weak, that he can get through this. Tony didn't have the strength, he was dying and was well aware of that, but he didn't care surprisingly. He been put through this type of situations many times, so it wouldn't be a shock, but then he thought of Pepper, stuck up here because he failed to do the one thing he promised to do with technology, save lives. He found the strength to bring his hand up so his mask would be out of the way.

"Iron Man, please!" Pepper yelled. She wasn't paying attention to what he was doing, she was looking around. By the time she looked back to Iron Man, he was standing facing his back to her. "Are you alright?" She whispered. No answer came. Instead he stumbled, forward, and turned around. His mask wasn't in his face so, Pepper saw for the first time, that Tony was Iron Man. She gasped and said, "...Tony...?" He smiled, and reached out, before he lost his balance for lack of strength. He fell, simple he fell. Accept that he didn't fall on the ground of the roof, he fell 10 stories down to the ground.

"Tony!" Pepper yelled, even though with her injury, she ran/fell/stumbled to the door of the roof. She pulled at the door, and it came of its hinges. She knew that couldn't get down the stairs fast enough. So, she looked for an elevator, which she found pretty quickly. She made it down to the first floor, where people we gathered around something. She ran through the crowd, limping through she made it to the door, pushed it open and saw Tony laying on the ground.

"Iron Man!" Pepper yelled, making sure to keep his identity a secret. His mask was on his face now, but showed no movement. Pepper got nervous, reached inside her pockets, she dropped her cellphone at the broken building. She had nothing to contact them. Pepper then heard a pained groan, she reacted to the sound to see that he was moving. He stood up shakily, impossibly weak. The suit had broken his fall. The suit had saved him. Like it had million other times, but this time it was also killing him slowly.

"Are you alright?" Pepper asked again.

"Honest? No. Come on lets go someplace so I can get out of this suit." Tony said, limping to a nearby alleyway. Pepper followed, wondering how that was possible. Tony walked to the far part, so no one can see him. He didn't think the suit would be able to go back to the case, but it did. So he had to take a heavy, red and yellow case around New York City. Pepper gasped, when she saw him.

"What's wrong?" Tony asked, worriedly because he thought that she was hurt.

"Your bleeding!" Pepper exclaimed. Tony looked down to see if that was true. It was. He was bleeding way too close to his implant. He wasn't paying attention to himself, he always did that.

"We should take you to the hospital." Pepper said, in a rush.

"No! Take me to my lab." Tony said.

"This isn't time to worry about the suit!" Pepper yelled.

"Sshh! It's just a flesh wound. It didn't get deep!" Tony stated.

"Really? This isn't time to argue either. Come on!" Pepper said.

"The doctors don't know how to treat my state!" Tony said.

"What are you talking about? Yes, they do, you said it was just a flesh wound." Pepper argued. Tony sighed, put down the case, and started to rise his shirt up. "Tony, what are you doing?" Tony said nothing, and took his entire shirt off. _**(A/N: That's exactly what Jacob did in New Moon. Ha ha...)**_ Then, Tony pointed to a circle in his chest.

"This is why the doctors can't fix me." Tony said.

"What is that?" Pepper looked at it, tempted to poke it.

"My implant, I don't have time to explain, we have to get to my lab!" Tony said, putting his shirt back on.

"How? We're both injured." Pepper said, looking down at her ankle, which was swelling because she put wieght on it.

"Come on, lets go." Tony said, picking up the case, and started limping forwards. Pepper sighed and followed. Catching up with him, and taking his arm and putting around her shoulder, and Tony put his arm around her waist.

"Why are we like this?" Tony asked.

"Either way you look at it, we need some type of support." Pepper responded.

* * *

"Tony's been gone for 2 hours already!" Rhodey said.

"I've called him 10 times already." Howard said.

"What if something happened?" Rhodey asked.

"Well, lets just hope nothing has..." Howard said.

* * *

Tony and Pepper limped into the warehouse.

"This is your lab?" Pepper asked.

"Well, yes and no." Tony said, and continued all they way to the real lab.

"This is my lab." Tony said, reaching the door to it and unlocking it. Opening it, Pepper saw one of the nicest labs shes ever seen. (She's only seen one, and thats the FBI one, this one was 10 times better)

"Wow." Was all Pepper said.

"Thanks." Tony said, getting her expression. They entered, Tony told Pepper to sit down, while he started to take his shirt off. Pepper was about to ask when she saw that he took something, connected it to his implant. He then, reached into a drawer, and got out some gauze.

"Why do you have gauze in here?" Pepper asked.

"You never know." Tony responded, scooting closer to Peppper.

"What are you doing?" Pepper asked.

"Trying to help you." Tony replied,putting some around her ankle.

"I think your hurt more Tony." Pepper said.

"Mine can wait." Tony said, finishing up what he was doing.

"Thanks, Tony." Pepper said.

"Yeah. No problem it's what friends do." Tony said, not looking at her.

_'IS IT WRONG TO LOVE HER!' _

"What?" Tony said out loud.

"Tony? Something wrong?" Pepper asked.

"No. It's just I thought of something." Tony said.

"What?" Pepper asked.

"Nothing. It's nothing." Tony said.

"Tony, you're still bleeding." Pepper said.

"Oh. Right I forgot." Tony said, so he started to wrap the gauze around his wound.

"Tony..." Pepper said, while fidgeting with the hem of her shirt.

"Yes...?" Tony said.

"Why do you need an implant?" Pepper asked.

"Um, next question." Tony said.

"Tony." Pepper growled.

"Fine. When I was born, I couldn't breathe very well, but the doctors and nurses didn't notice. So, my heart began to fail. My dad noticed though, and he built the arc reactor. **_(A/N: Still don't know.)_** Even though, my dad had to hear my cries of pain he put the implant to help my heart, and now I'm a healthy teenage boy." Tony explained.

"Oh. That's a lot to come through..." Pepper said.

"Not really. There's still a lot of other sad stories out there." Tony said.

"But that's pretty sad." Pepper said.

"But other than that, my life has been fine, execpt that my mom died." Tony said.

"Yeah, but not everybody had that in their life. Whatever, what are we gonna do now?" Pepper asked.

"Well, we have to stay here until I finish charging, then we'll leave to the FBI headquarters." Tony said.

"Okay..."

* * *

Morgan, Reid, Emily, JJ, Hotch, and Rossi came back to their office. Tired from walking all over the city, looking for Pepper.

"I'm guessing you didn't find her?" Rhodey asked.

"No. We didn't. Wheres Tony?" Morgan said.

"He left. 2 and half hours ago." Howard said.

"So, we have another missing person." Reid said.

"Yeah. I guess." Rhodey said, leaning on the palm of his hand.

"You should go home, we'll call you if we get anything." JJ told Rhodey.

"Yeah, both of you, lack of sleep not just ruins your day, but causes so many other things to go wrong, like depression and-"

"We got it, Reid." Morgan said, rubbing his eyes.

"Okay, remember to call me please." Rhodey said, and got up from his seat, when he heard; "Rhodey!"

"What?" Rhodey turned to see Tony and Pepper limping inside the office.

"Tony!" Rhodey ran up to them, to see him alright, just slightly hurt.

"Oh my God. Tony!" Howard said, and went to go hug his son.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Tony said.

"Come on, lets go to the conference room." JJ said, helping them over to the room.

"So, what happened?" Morgan asked, while Garcia was typing what they say in a document. So, they explained everything, from getting hurt, to Tony coming on the roof (Not as Iron Man), then they said that Iron Man had saved them, to them walking here. At the end of the questioning Pepper whispered to Tony;

"Hey, do you think you can make an Iron Woman?" Tony laughed.


	11. Chapter 11

_'Why? Why? Why? Why?' _Pepper was thinking, as she watched, Whitney come over to the three, hug and kiss Tony. It's been 3 weeks since Pepper's been kidnapped. The Director hasn't showed up for work since. Pepper's dad, figured it out, and now the director is a wanted man, (Not in a good way). Pepper sighed, and looked over to Rhodey, he looked at sympathetically. Whitney laughed at something Tony said, and playfully hit his chest. Pepper pretended to gag, Rhodey chuckled. Pepper sighed, again, and took out her iPod, she pressed play at the song she was listening previously.

_'I'm just so fuckin' depressed I can't seem to get out of this slump. If I could just get over this hump. But I need something to pull me out of this dump.'_ _'Ah, the wise words of Eminem.' _Pepper thought, as she continued listening.

"What? Why?" Pepper heard over her music.

"I'm sorry, Whitney..." Tony said. The next thing Pepper saw was Whitney leaving, obviously not containing her tears.

"What happened?" Pepper asked, taking out her headphones.

"We broke up." Tony answered.

"What? Why?" Rhodey said.

"I'm just not feeling the relationship anymore." Tony shrugged, scratching the back of his head.

"Ah. It's not you, it's her. She sucks." Pepper laughed.

"Uhh, no, I'm pretty sure it was me." Tony answered.

"Okay, so what are we doing today?" Pepper asked.

"I don't know, what do you want to do?" Rhodey asked. (It was Friday, so they had all weekend.)

"Hmm, what about going to watch a movie?" Pepper asked.

"What movie?" Tony asked, slamming his locker shut.

"I don't know, lets skip that I guess." Pepper said, rolling up her headphones around her iPod, and stuffing into her pocket.

"Come on, lets just walk." Tony said, grabbing his backpack, and proped it up on his shoulder.

"Yeah. Interested in normal stuff for once?" Rhodey smirked.

"No, let's take a walk to my lab, so I can work on the suit." Tony answered.

"Hmm, figures." Rhodey muttered.

"That's so cool!" Pepper exclaimed.

"Not so cool, when your stuck watching someone fix something for hours and hours, without hearing a single word come from him." Rhodey said, annoyingly.

"Well, here's the person you can talk to." Tony said, pointing to Pepper.

"Yeah, plus we don't have to stay there." Pepper smiled.

"True." Rhodey said.

"What?" Tony said, stopping in his tracks, a worried look in his eyes.

"Don't worry, we won't leave..." Rhodey tugged at his sweater sleeve. "...early..." Tony glared at him.

"Come on, lets just have fun!" Pepper said, holding onto Tony's arm. Tony smiled down at her. Rhodey just smiled at the scenery before him. _'Oh come on! How long is it gonna take for them to be together?'_Rhodey thought.

"Well, I guess I can skip fixing the armor today." Tony said, suddenly. Pepper's eyes lit up, and smiled widely.

"Cool. Let's go watch my most favorite of all time!" Pepper exclaimed, and dragging Tony and Rhodey in the direction of her apartment.

"What is your favorite movie of all time?" Tony asked, still being dragged by Pepper.

"Grease! I love that movie! I hope to see it as a play, its original form!" Pepper got all googly eyed.

"Grease?" Rhodey asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Yes! I L.O.V.E Grease!" Pepper said, holding Rhodey by his shirt collar.

"It came out in the seventies, how can you possibly have seen that movie?" Tony asked, playing with his metal bracelet.

"My mother loved that movie, so I saw it." Pepper shrugged.

"Okay..." Tony said, Pepper smiled at looked up at the sky.

"She was a great mom." Pepper said, a distant look in her eyes.

"What happened to her?" Rhodey asked, softly.

"She died, she was sick we all saw it coming." Pepper looked like she wanted to cry, but she didn't instead she continued to look at the sky. She then noticed a something red on a rooftop, she stared at it closer. '_Iron Man...wait, Tony's Iron Man...' _Pepper thought.

"Tony! Thats Iron Man!" Pepper said, to him.

"What?" He said, looking up at the direction Pepper was looking. Tony's eyes widened, and saw in fact Iron Man. Well, an imposter, not really Iron Man, he is Iron Man. Tony started running, he ran to his lab. Rhodey and Pepper a few steps behind. He ran into the lab, quickly got into his suit, and flew off...

* * *

Tony flew to the last place he saw this imposter. He landed on the rooftop.

"Who are you, and why do you look like me?" Tony asked, looking at the man. The imposter turned around, and completely changed her look. Tony realised it was a woman, for some obvious reasons.

"Who are you?" Tony asked, again. Instead of answering, she ran, jumping from rooftop to rooftop.

"Hey!" Tony yelled, chasing after the imposter. Tony flying, and she jumping to rooftop to rooftop. Soon, they reached the part where there was no other rooftop to jump to.

"Ha! Now there is no place to jump to." Tony said, landing on the last rooftop. Again, without answering to Tony, she jumped off the roof.

"Oh my God!" Tony said, before following. They were at the train tracks. Tony continued to chase the imposter, until somehow Tony had been able to corner her.

"Who are you?" Tony asked, again.

"Madame Mask." She answered, and then disappeared. Tony sighed, and flew away...

* * *

Tony, after looking for this so called Madame Mask for hours and coming up empty handed, decided to head home.

_"IS IT WRONG TO LOVE HER?" I said that didn't I? Why? I was with Whitney at that time...But I just broke up with her today. Why? Was it because of Pepper?'_

"What are thinking so hard about?" Rhodey's voice came through.

"Oh my god!" Tony said, almost stopping his jet boots.

"What?" Rhodey asked.

"Nothing, you just scared me." Tony said.

"Okay...so, who was that on roof?" Rhodey asked.

"I'm not so sure...but she said that-"

"Whoa! It was a she?" Rhodey interrupted.

"Yes, because it wasn't really me. Duh. But she had mask on, a familar mask on...I think she got from my dads vault..." Tony said.

"What? That's impossible theres more alarms on that vault then the White House!" Rhodey exclaimed.

"I know! I have to talk to my dad..." Tony said.

"How? How are you going to do that without arousing suspicions of you being Iron Man?" Rhodey asked.

"Ugh. Pepper! Pepper can ask him! Make it seem like its an FBI investigation!" Tony smiled.

"That would be an excellent idea, if Pepper wasn't on her way to LA, right now..." Rhodey said.

"What? Why?" Tony asked.

"Homcide investigation." Rhodey answered.

"God, how long will she be gone?" Tony asked.

"I don't know, until they catch this murderer." Rhodey said. Tony sighed.

_'Madame Mask, huh...'_

* * *

Hey! Now theres a new villian! What will happen now that Pepper's not there? Will Tony admit his feeling to himself? And if he does, will he tell Pepper? What will Pepper do if he does?

Anyway, I would like to thank all you reveiwers! That is some serious reviewing there. Thank you soo much! Please continue reviewing, and being such awesome readers! Just to give you a hint what will happen in future chapters;

"That goes against everything I believe in, Tony." Pepper said, before marching out angrily.

Intense! What would cause Pepper to say that? Hey, if you notice that close, I think, to something that Pepper said in the series! So, I think you can figure that out. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Peace! :)


	12. Chapter 12

Pepper sighed, as she looked outside the window of the plane that they team had to their own use. Missing New York more than ever now, probably because she was without Tony or Rhodey. Which was weird because she was friends with Gene way before them, and when she went on these trips she never missed him this much. Pepper sighed, and picked at her fingernails, then shifted in her seat, then started playing with her hair, shifted in her seat again, and sighed.

"Pepper? What's wrong? You seem to fidgety and quiet." Reid said, looking up from the case file.

"Nothing..." Pepper mumbled, looking at the clouds, again.

"Something's up, come on Ginger." Morgan smiled.

"It's just...Gingers do have souls..." Pepper said, with smile, shaking her head. Morgan threw his head back and laughed.

"No, seriously." Morgan said, all of a sudden getting serious.

"I'm just feeling weird..." Pepper said, hanging her head.

"Maybe it was to early for you to come on a case." Hotch said, eyebrows knit together, his thinking face.

"No, its just kinda of a girl thing..." Pepper said, grabbing the case file that was in front of her.

"Like what?" Reid asked, cluelessly

"It's a about a boy..." Pepper said, her eyes staring at Reid from the corner of her eyes.

"Oh...umm..." Was Reid's reply.

"I don't feel comfortable talking about this you guys. Sorry." Pepper smiled awkwardly.

"It's okay, I don't feel comfortable about talking this either.." Rossi said, joining into the conversation.

"What boy?" Emily asked, leaning in a little bit, with a smile on her face.

"...I said, I didn't feel comfortable..." Pepper glared, so Emily stood up, grabbed Pepper and sat down away from the guys in their team.

"What. Boy?" Emily asked.

"Really Emily? Your worse than Gene..." Pepper said.

"Come on you can trust me, right?" Emily asked.

"Yeah...It's Tony...like Tony Stark..." Pepper said, biting her bottom lip.

"Oooo! No way. For how long?" Emily asked, leaning in.

"Since I started the job...but not like right away, after a few weeks.." Pepper said, a light blush starting on her face.

"Wow. Really?" Emily asked.

"Nooo. I was joking." Pepper said, sarcastically.

"I remember when he came into the BAU when you got kidnapped...he was freaking out!" Emily said.

* * *

**_Flashback (Emily's POV)_**

_I twirled around in my chair at my desk. I sighed, I was bored. A case apparently didn't cross JJ's desk yet. _

_"Emily, your bored I'm guessing." Reid said, sitting at my desk. I stopped twirling and looked at him, with a look that said, 'No, of course not.' He laughed, and ran hand through his now short hair._

_"Why did you cut your hair like that?" I asked. Staring at his hair. He shrugged, and bit his lip._

_"Emily...I would like to tell you something now that we're alone." Reid said, obviously nervous._

_"What?" I asked._

_"Um...I kinda have a-"_

_"Pepper's been kidnapped!" I turn around to see Tony Stark, sweat on his brow, his hair even more mussled up, his cellphone in his hand, his eyes wide, and fill to brim with worry. _

_"What?" I asked._

_"Pepper's been kidnapped! I just left her leave like that...why...why did I?" Tony said, probably the last part to himself._

_"Tony. Calm down. Sit down and tell us everything." Reid said, surprisingly staying calm, me knowing that Pepper and him are close friends and co-workers._

_"It started with us..."_

_

* * *

_"Really? I thought he wouldn't freak out.." Pepper said, looking out the window.

"Yeah..." Emily said, looking down to the floor of the plane.

"What's wrong?" Pepper asked.

"It's just the day you got kidnapped, Reid was gonna tell me something, but he never ended telling me because Tony came in with the news..." Emily said, looking a little disappointed.

"What did he say?" Pepper asked, a small smile on her lips.

"Uhh, he said that he would tell me now that we were alone.." Emily said.

"Looks like Reid has a crush on you.." Pepper whispered. A big smile on her lips, and her eyes sparkling.

"N-No! Why would say that?" Emily said, a blush on her cheeks.

"I mean come on! How awesome would it be if you guys started dating? Or got married? I mean, I could take care of everything, to the dress, to the ceremony, to the reception, to the bachelorette party, awesome right? It would be soo cool! One of my best friends, and my other best friend. It would be like soo awesome, hmm, I already said that...wait, isn't he a little young for you? He's 27, right? No, I think he's 29 now...right?-"

"Pepper! We're not even sure if he likes me like that..." Emily said, eyes wide.

"Do you like him like that?" Pepper asked.

"Why do you say something like that?" Emily asked.

"You never answered my question. Do you like him?" Pepper asked, looking straight into her eyes.

"Maybe." Emily said, a small blush on her face.

"Aha! Yes, I finally got something on you!" Pepper stood up and did a little victory dance, with a big smile.

"Yay..." Emily said, sarcastically. Pepper smiled happily, and walked to Emily, wrapped her arms for a nice hug.

"What was that for?" Emily questioned.

"Well, for always being there for me. You're like, a mother I never really had..." Pepper said, looking down forlornly.

"Thats really sweet, I'll always be there for you, but as a older sister not a mother, I'm not that old!" Emily smiled, putting some humor to help the awkward moment. Pepper laughed, and looked out of her window.

"I wonder what Tony's doing..."

* * *

Ohai! I know this chapter is short but its kinda like filler. To really say that Pepper has feelings for Tony. I added a few hints to the pairing of Emily and Reid, from Criminal Minds. For you that watch Criminal Minds, I don't like this pairing, but I don't hate. Plus, I think Emily's too old for Reid anyway, and that added a random twist in the story. :) Hope you enjoyed. And I'm trying to update quicker. For your reading pleasures.


	13. Chapter 13

Hi there! I know I took long, but my internet stopped working for a few days. I wanna thank all the reviewers for reviewing. Duh.

There's this reviewer named;

**MattGreiner**

My response to your review:

I know Atreyu isn't heavy. I think their falsetto or something. I think you misread or something, I put Alesana. Plus, when did I talk about those bands in this story? I was all confused when you reviewed this story when I mentioned Alesana in my other story.

Anyway, I'm sorry. I was gonna update on Saturday, but my internet was not working, plus I went to Vans Warped Tour that day. :P

Enjoy the Chapter!

* * *

Tony sighed, as he stared down at Iron Man suit. His mind was in a rush of thoughts, Madam Mask and Pepper. He was surprisingly scared, this is the first time he felt this way for a girl, a real feel of something, like love. He shivered, this is something new, and he didn't know how to deal with it. He played with a screwdriver, he wanted to tell her, but he just couldn't. Tony sighed, looked down to the Iron Man suit dejectedly.

"What's wrong?" Rhodey said, looking up from his video game.

"Nothing..." Tony said, playing with something that was supposed to be installed into the Iron Man suit a long time ago.

"Dude, come on you can trust me." Rhodey said, turning off his game.

"I just realized that I..." Tony trailed off, becoming silent.

"You love Pepper?" Rhodey asked, raising his eyebrow, with an amused smile.

"W-What? I-I-Wha-What m-makes you t-t-think that?" Tony stuttered, nervously.

"It's pretty obvious. The way you look at her, the way you act, the way you miss her." Rhodey smiled.

"I-I don't miss her! Like that, I-I do but not like that. Like when you miss a friend..." Tony said, looking down.

"Sure, dude its okay. Just admit it, it would feel better when you do." Rhodey said, getting up from his seat, walking towards Tony, and leaning against the table.

"It's not easy when you never felt this way before." Tony mumbled. Still fiddling with the piece he had before.

"There's first time for everything, Tony. Just say it, maybe not to her, but to yourself. Admit." Rhodey said, putting a resurring hand on his shoulder.

"How would that help?" Tony asked.

"I don't know. Just say it out loud, maybe stop you from exploding." Rhodey smiled.

"I...I...I don't want to talk about this." Tony said, turning back to the Iron Man armor.

"Tony! Will you stop?" Rhodey asked.

"Stop what?" Tony asked.

"Denying everything! Specially your feelings!" Rhodey said.

"I can't focus on a relationship right now. With Iron Man, and Madam Mask, I don't have time." Tony said.

"You had time for Whitney! Come on, she can't wait forever Tony!" Rhodey said.

"Whitney was different. We kinda went out because everyone expected it to happen. Which it did." Tony said.

"Why? Why did you have time for her, but not for Pepper? Why, Tony, Why?" Rhodey said.

"Because Pepper's too good for me, okay? I think she deserves someone who can always be there for her 100%, someone who doesn't risk his life for others, she needs normal. Even if that guy isn't me, I'm okay. If she's happy, I'm happy. Besides, even if I try to win her heart, I can't. I haven't been going to school my entire life, I'm new with girls and crushes. Your not. You've dealt with this stuff before." Tony said.

"Oh, man I didn't see it like that, I'm sorry. I think you should try, just be yourself. Plus, I think Pepper likes this adventure stuff." Rhodey said.

"Your probably right. Besides, even if she doesn't like me in that way, I do have a great friend..." Tony said.

"Yeah, she's great person." Rhodey smiled.

"Since when did we talk so cheesy like?" Tony asked. Rhodey laughed, heading back to his video games.

"Well, I'm gonna finish the suit." Tony said, but Rhodey was already to into his game.

* * *

I know this chapter is short, but it isn't multi-chapter until a short chapter comes out, right? :P Anyway, I know it took me a long time to update, I was just busy. I hoped you enjoyed this chapter. Review, tell me what you think, please. :)


	14. Authors note

**Hello there. I know I haven't been updating, I promised I would try to update every saturday, but things keep piling up for me. It sucks. I'm in eighth grade now thats not high school, but I'm taking a high school classes. I'm a nerd. So, I'm gonna take a break. The whole fact that worries me to update is time consuming. Don't worry though I'll be writing in as much as I can. I'll be updating as soon as I can. Plus, my mother is taking the computer being a freaking dictator on how long to use it...Oh, mothers. You know right? Anyway, I'm so sorry for not updating and taking a break at a moment like this. (What type of moment is it?) (I don't know, just follow it.) I'm sorry. :( I'm sadfaced too, don't worry. (who said that anyone was sadfaced?) Shut up you little parenthesis! No one likes you! Anyway, good little readers I'll miss writing for you guys till I get the hang of it. **

**Peace out.**

**DiamondsAren'tForever**

**3**


	15. Chapter 15

Tony tapped his finger on the desk. Pepper was coming back today. He was nervous, like a lot. He was gonna tell her everything, starting with how he felt about her, ending with a new enemy. Madam Mask. Interesting. Apparently, she can change into any other identity, her mask is a piece of Tony's dad's technology found only in his vault, if it was stolen his dad would of spoken of it, but he hasn't said anything about it. Tony sighed, looked over at the gate for the millionth time since coming here.

"Will you stop staring over there? She said that she was gonna land late." Rhodey said, realizing that he kept looking at the gate.

"I know, but you would feel nervous if you had a 50% chance that your heart's gonna get crushed, and a 50% chance of your feelings being returned." Tony said, matter-of-factly.

"Still, calm down. Pepper wouldn't like a sweaty guy profess his love to her." Rhodey said.

"I'm not sweating in the first place!" Tony said, raising his arms.

"If you continue to be so nervous, you'll start sweating, therefore becoming the sweaty guy who profess his love for Pepper." Rhodey retorted.

"I'm not... that nervous..." Tony mumbled.

"But you are. That's why you should stop fre-"

"Pepper!" Tony stood up from his seat in a cafe, across the gate Pepper's plane was landing. She just came into the floor of the airport, so that's what caused Tony to jump up like a five year old. Rhodey smiled, realizing that Pepper had actually landed back, so Rhodey stood up, a few steps behind Tony, when they reached Pepper, they were at each others side.

"Hey guys! I missed you guys so much!" Pepper said, pulling both guys into a hug.

"We missed you too, Pepper." Rhodey said, returning the hug.

"Yeah." Tony agreed, returning the hug too.

"So, What's been going on?" Pepper asked, as they walked towards Pepper's apartment. They talked about school, they talked about Pepper's case in L.A., they talked about some other things on each others minds.

"-Iron Man." Pepper said.

"What?" Tony asked.

"I said, What's going on with Iron Man." Pepper said.

"That's... uh... the thing..." Tony said, nervously.

"What?" Pepper asked.

"There's a new enemy, you could say..." Tony said.

"What? Who?" Pepper asked.

"She calls herself Madam Mask." Rhodey said.

"Madam Mask? So, she was the one standing on the rooftop as you or I should say Iron Man." Pepper said.

"Yeah." Tony said.

"How'd she do that? To look like you?" Pepper asked.

"Well, she has that mask. That mask can change your appearance, I think she got it from my father's vault." Tony said.

"Vault?" Pepper asked.

"My father has a vault, in which he puts his inventions, his top secret inventions in that vault, with a top notch security system that he invented." Tony said, reaching the apartment building of Pepper. Pepper opened the door which led to the lobby of her apartment building. They headed towards the elevator.

"What else? I mean, what are the possibilities its someone inside the Stark Tower." Pepper said.

"No one knows that vault really exists." Tony answered.

"Then, how do you know?" Pepper asked.

"I'm his son, he trust me with almost everything." Tony explained.

"Hmm, but come on, someone must know." Pepper said.

"Maybe Stane, but the thief was a girl, soo yeah." Tony said.

"Doesn't Stane have some sort of family?" Pepper asked, the elevator dinged, opened to Pepper's floor. They left the elevator.

"Yeah, he has a wife, and a daughter." Tony said, following Pepper to her apartment.

"But that can't mean anything, sure Stane has a evil side, but he wouldn't put the lives of his wife and daughter for vengeance on Tony's dad." Rhodey said.

"I never said anything about Stane being the one, or him using his daughter and wife for vengeance, why would he need to in the first place?" Pepper asked.

"Probably for the Earth-Movers, he wanted to use it as a weapon, not as a friendly technology." Tony answered. They reached Pepper's door by now, Pepper unlocked it, her dad being gone, he went undercover just a couple of days ago. They walked inside, Tony dropping her bags by her door.

"One good reason I guess. Anyone else with a possible way into the vault?" Pepper asked.

"Not really. It has more security than the White House." Tony said, sitting down on Pepper's couch while she sat across from him in another chair.

"That's really... weird... but okay." Pepper said.

"We were kinda hoping that you would help us in this." Rhodey said.

"How?" Pepper asked.

"Well... you can pretend it's for an FBI investigation." Tony said.

"I would but... I work in the murder investigation bureau of the FBI as along as it involved a murder, I can't pretend it is one." Pepper said.

"Oh... we'll think of something. Just right know we'll let you rest." Rhodey said, nudging Tony, in which he got up from the couch.

"Bye Pepper." Tony said, before he and Rhodey left her apartment.

"You didn't tell her." Rhodey said.

"I'm not gonna tell her while your hovering over us." Tony said, staring at him through the corner of his eyes.

"Is it wrong to see a love profession?" Rhodey asked.

"Yes." Tony said. "Especially if it's my love profession."

"Aw. Ruin the rest of my life will ya?" Rhodey said.

"I guess I just did." Tony said as the elevator reopened for them.

"When are you gonna tell her?" Rhodey asked, hitting the lobby button.

"I don't know, but I have a feeling I'll have to do it soon." Tony said.

"Why?" Rhodey asked.

"Because, I have a feeling that something bad will happen." Tony said.

"Do you say that for Madam Mask?" Rhodey asked.

"She can change into any identity she wants, what if something goes really really bad." Tony said.

"This is Pepper your talking about, she pointed a gun at you." Rhodey said.

"Yeah, but what is the chance that I can fight against her if she takes the identity of Pepper?" Tony asked, the elevator stopped, and they walked out of Pepper's apartment building.

"What are the chances that she will take the appearance of Pepper in the first place?" Rhodey asked.

"Still. I'm just worried." Tony said, looking up to the sky.


	16. Chapter 16

Welcome to the new chapter of Pain of Love.

* * *

Pepper sat down in front of her computer, and started to look around what she could find about Stane. If he really was part of the robbery in the vault he would get fired for sure. Pepper was on her own personal computer, not the FBI's so she can't hack into said company without being charged a major felony. She read about him, and his daughter. His daughter, Pepper wasn't a fan of that character in this story, in fact she dislike her for being everything Pepper was opposite of. Whitney was girly, spoiled, and seemed to use people not caring about how they feel, throw away what seemed to make them human. Pepper on the other hand was a tomboy in every way, she was sweet, and she cared every deeply about how the other person felt. They didn't realize that in every contrast, there was a comparison. They're both passionate about what they believe in, doesn't matter of what it is, believing how a girl should never wear white after labor day, or you believe that every human had rights just as everybody elses. They're passionate and no one can change their minds whatsoever. This is what Tony thinks about every night before he goes to sleep. He's comparing and contrasting between Pepper and Whitney. He may think of Whitney from time to time. Can you blame him? You don't stop loving someone over night, that's for sure.

These thoughts also crossed Pepper's mind. What was so great about Tony? He was cocky, too smart for his own good, and could be selfish from time to time. Not to mention he thrusted himself into unneeded trouble for himself when he invented the Iron Man suit. He was an already weak person when he made it. Was that why he made it? So, he could be equal to everyone phyiscally? No, Tony wasn't bad in phyiscal fitness, he had to, to be able to carry that weight of the suit. It scared her deeply because she couldn't stop herself from falling for him, but he was in trouble many many times before, and could be killed. Pepper was scared that if he did die, which God forbid would happen, would she be able to move on? She knew the answer, no. No, she wouldn't mainly because she would never know if he loved her back. No matter how hard she shook her head to rid these thoughts about Tony, she couldn't. He kept coming back into her thoughts, like he was cycling around her head. She tried to focus on the screen in front of her, but she couldn't. She thought to Tony's smiling face when he saw her at the airport, how he was so panicked when she got kidnapped, how he looked at her when she said something which seemed stupid to him. Pepper sighed, her fingers falling off the keyboard.

Tony was on his bed, his feet flat on the floor, his head in his hand, elbows on his knees propping his arms and hands up. The thoughts wouldn't stop. He wished that there was a way to just shut off his brain. Where he wouldn't think for hours and hours on his bed about a certain girl. He was reaching a breaking point. He reached into his pants pocket, and pulled out his cellphone. He quickly brought up a text message to send to Pepper;

_'You home?' _

He thought it was stupid once he sent it, of course she was home, she just came back a few hours ago! She replied;

_'Yeah...Why?' _

Tony replied;

_'I'm coming over. Don't ask why.'_

Pepper replied with;

_'Kay...'_

Tony leaped off of his bed, out the door of his bedroom, down the stairs, cross the living room, and out the door. He ran until he reached Pepper's apartment building. He continued to run, he didn't bother with the elevator, he used the stairs, that's when he reached Pepper's apartment door. He knocked, waited for about two seconds, then knocked again, repeated the process about two more times before Pepper opened the door.

"Hey, can I come in? Thanks!" Tony didn't let her answer before he entered her apartment.

"What's up Tony? Is it about the vault thingy? Cuz I-" "It's not about that." Tony interrupted.

"Okay...What is it?" Pepper asked. Tony walked into the living room.

"I-I-I...Um...Well, you see...Would you?...Would you be mad...Would you be mad if I kissed you right now?" Tony mumbled and stuttered, and ended with a question.

"What?" Pepper asked, her eyes getting wide, she never would've thought that those words would spill out of Tony Stark's mouth. Ever.

"You see...um...for while...I broke up with Whitney...and I have thoughts just going round and round and round...and they are all about you...and I think...I think I love you Pepper Potts..." Tony said, with a lot of pauses in between. Tony hung his head when Pepper didn't reply after a short while.

"I-I...don't know what to say...I think...I think I love you too..." Pepper said, after about two more minuets of silence. Tony's head snapped up.

"What?" Tony asked.

"Yeah, but if you don't like it that's okay, you know you might be into unrequited love thingy..." Pepper said, a bright blush on her cheeks.

"No, I like it, that you know you love me." Tony said, stepping about two steps closer.

"Are you being cocky?" Pepper asked.

"No, of course not, why would I?" Tony asked, taking three steps closer to Pepper.

"Sounds like you are getting cocky." Pepper said. Tony reached out, and grabbed Pepper by her waist.

"I asked before, would you be mad if I kissed you?" Tony said, his lips dangerously close to hers.

"Depends if your good or not." Pepper smiled.

"Well, lets check and see." Tony smiled too, before their lips crashed together. So many things rushed into their heads, the shock of this was actually happening, the waiting for this to happen is finally over, and the feeling of the kiss was amazing, to amazing to be described in a single word, no, not even in many words put together can explain the feeling. As the kiss increased in desire, we end scene to keep this story at a teen level.

* * *

Enjoyed? If you did, review! Merry Christmas!


End file.
